of
Europe.[16]

The difficulties in the way of forming any clear conception as to the
life and personality of Cessoles, Ferron, and De Vignay are well shown
in an article by M.C. Leber.[17] Dr. Ernst Koepke, who has reexamined the
evidences as to Cessoles, holds that he was a Lombard.[18]

The chief source from which Cessoles took his material was the treatise
"De Regimine Principum" of Egidius Romanus.

He was of the great Neapolitan family of the Colonna, and his Christian
name appears to have been Guido, but his designations have undergone
some curious transformations. Born at Rome, 22nd Sept., 1216, Guido
Colonna went at an early age to Paris, where, from the name of his
birthplace, he became known as AEgidius Romanus, with the French form of
Gilles de Rome. He was an ardent and enthusiastic disciple of St. Thomas
Aquinas, and his familiarity with that great doctor of the Church led
him to desire admission to the Dominican order, but a difficulty
intervened from the circumstance that he had already contracted ties
which bound him to the order of St. Augustine. To this untoward accident
may probably be attributed no little of the extension of the
philosophical doctrine of Aquinas; for Colonna, unable or unwilling to
be relieved of the vows that bound him to the Augustinians, preached
eagerly amongst them the Thomist speculations of his friend and master.
In the controversy with the Franciscans, those whom he had indoctrinated
were valuable allies to the Thomists, for their aid, coming from an
independent organization, appeared to carry the weight of impartiality,
and to be unassailable on the plea of partisan interest. In the year
1287 there was a general convocation of the order of St. Augustine at
Florence, and at this assembly it was decreed that the doctors of the
order should teach in conformity with the decisions arrived at by
Colonna. To him is largely due the success of the Thomist scheme, of
which he was an able, persistent, and vigorous exponent. Many tracts by
him remain in print and MS. on these subjects. The fame he had thus
acquired gained him the name of _doctor fundamentarius_ and _doctor
fundatissimus_. His lectures at Paris attracted to him the attention of
Philippe le Hardi, who thought him a fitting person to be entrusted with
the education of his son, who was afterwards known to hiftory as
Philippe le Bel. It was whilst occupied with this royal youth that the
thought of composing or compiling