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Jessopp, Augustus, 1823-1914

"The Coming of the Friars"


Francis, who on his death-bed gave him the habit which he himself had
worn.
The whole party were hospitably entertained for two days at the
Priory of the Holy Trinity at Canterbury. Then brother Richard
Ingworth, with another Richard--a Devonshire youth conspicuous for
his ascetic fervour and devotion, but only old enough to be admitted
to minor orders--set out for London, accompanied by the Lombard and
another foreigner, leaving behind him Agnellus and the rest, among
them William of Esseby, the third Englishman, enthusiastic and ardent
as the others, but a mere youth and as yet a novice. He, too, I
conjecture to have been a Norfolk or Suffolk man, whose birth-place,
_Ashby_, in the East Anglian dialect, would be pronounced nearly
as it is written in Eccleston's manuscript. It was arranged that
Richard Ingworth should lose no time in trying to secure some place
where they might all lay their heads, and from whence as a centre
they might begin the great work they had in hand. The Canterbury
party were received into the Priest's House and allowed to remain for
a while. Soon they received permission to sleep in a building used as
a school during the day-time, and while the boys were being taught
the poor friars huddled together in a small room adjoining, where
they were confined as if they had been prisoners.


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