The Beginning of the Donatus of the Venerable Master Jean Gerson, Chancellor of Paris.

How many parts of speech are there? Eight. Which are they? Knowledge of substance, knowledge of quality, knowledge of God’s commandment, knowledge of the same, knowledge of man according to God and according to nature, consideration of the future judgment, consideration of the joy of the elect, and consideration of the sadness of the damned.

What is a noun? Man. Why are you called man? If you know your substance, from which you were made, you truly know what a noun is.

Ecce: Behold Behold the knowledge of substance, which is the first part of speech: you are from the earth and to the earth you will return.

How many accidents does a noun have? Six. Which are they? Quality, comparison, gender, number, figure, case.

Of what quality is man? Appellative, because it is common to all men to be made of earth, or indeed of a viler earth or matter. It is also common to all men to be a rationale animal rational animal.

Of what grade of comparison? Of none, because man ought not