VINCENTIUS HISPANUS. – Canonist, lived in the 13th century. Controversy surrounds his origin and identity.
The epithet Hispanus and the existence of a bishop VINCENTIUS at Saragossa (1239–44) led some (Schulte, Wernz) to believe he was Spanish. More acceptable is Gillmann’s conclusion that he was Portuguese (like PETRUS HISPANUS), a canon regular of the Holy Cross at Coimbra, dean of the cathedral chapter of Lisbon, chancellor to King Sancho II, and bishop of Idanha-Guarda (1229; † 21 September 1248).
He studied canon and Roman law under ACCURSIUS at Bologna, where he also taught. His writings, numerous and famous though still unpublished, include: Apparatus ad Compilationem I, Apparatus ad Compilationem III, Apparatus ad Canones Concilii Lateranensis IV (1215); he was the first commentator on the Decretals of Gregory IX (1234: Apparatus [Creavit Deus hominem in virili aetate...] and Casus in Gregoriana Decretales [Gregorius. In prima parte dicitur quod a Deo]). He glossed Compilatio II, the Leges, and probably the Decretum Gratiani.