CHAMPEAUX, William of, or GulíelmusCampellen sis. a scholastic philosopher and theologian, so called from his birthplace, the village of Champeaux, near Melun, was born about 1070, and died in 1121. After studying under the realist Anselm of Laon, and the nominalist Roscellin, he commenced to teach in the school of the cathedral of Nôtre Dame, of which he was made canon in 1103. Many scholars gathered round him, and among them was Abelard, who was to prove his great and victorious adversary. In 1108 William, whose attempts to silence his rival had been all in vain, retired into the abbey of St Victor, where he soon resumed his lectures. He afterwards became bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne, and took part in the dispute concerning investitures, on the side of Calixtus II. whom he represented at the conference of Mousson. Of William of Champeaux⅛ works one on the Eucharist has been printed by Mabillon, and the Moralia Abbreviata and the De Origine Animae by Martène. In the last of these there is an interesting discussion concerning the fate of children who die unbaptized. He holds that they must be lost, the pure soul being defiled by the grossness of the body; and he silences all objections as to the justice of their condemnation by declaring that God’s will is not to be questioned. Ravaisson has discovered a number of fragments by him, among which the most important is the De Essentia Dei et de Substantia Dei et de tribus ejus Personis ; and a Liber Sententiarum., consisting of discussions as to points of ethics and Scriptural interpretation, is also ascribed to him. William of Champeaux is, however, most important as a representative of realism. We possess no works of his own on philosophical subjects, and his views are only to be discovered in the writings of his ...