n candidates in this art, university and college
teachers gave frequent exhibitions of disputations, which from being
on any subject, de quolibet, were styled 'quodlibeticae questiones',
or 'disputationes'. A high dignitary presided, with the title of
'dominus quodlibetarius', and propounded questions, usually one
supported by arguments and two plain; and then the disputer, who
presumably came prepared, delivered his reply, clear cut into fine
distinctions and bristling with citations from recognized authorities.
Such work necessarily cost trouble and forethought, and the
hard-working teacher of the day, instead of printing his lectures on
philosophy or history or editing and commentating texts, gave to his
pupils in permanent form the quodlibetical disputations which the busy
among them had struggled to copy down into note-books, and over which
the inattentive, like Erasmus, had yawned.

These are some of the subjects disputed at Louvain, 1488-1507, by
Adrian of Utrecht; first as a young doctor, then as professor of
theology, and finally for ten years as vice-chancellor, before he was
carried away to become tutor to Prince Charles, and entered upon the
public career which led him finally to Rome as Adrian VI.

1488. Whether to avoid offending one's neighbour it is
permissible to break a vow or oath duly made.

1491. Whether one is bound to act on the command of a superior,
contrary to one's own opinion, knowing that in former days the
matter had been regarded as doubtful.

1492. Whether it is lawful to administer the Eucharist or to
confer the benefit of absolution on one who declares that he
cannot abstain from crimes.

1493. Whether of the two is more likely to be healed and
offends God the less, the man who sins from ignorance or
infirmity, or the man who sins of deliberate intent.

1495. Whether a priest who gives advice that tithes ought not
to be paid on the fruits of one's own labours, can receive
remission of his sin without undergoing severe punishment.

Whether transgression of human laws constitutes mortal sin.

1499. Whether prayer on behalf of many is as beneficial to the
individuals as if one prayed as long a time for each one.

1491. <? 1501> Whether it is permissible to give money to any
one to procure one a benefice by praising one's dignity and
merits to the provisor to the benefice.

Here a