Trinity in Aldgate, and out of this arises an interesting episode. The
first prior, Norman, built his cloister and church, and bought books and
vestments on so liberal a scale that there was nothing left to buy food.
The citizens, visiting the place on Sundays according to custom, saw that
the poor canons were famished with hunger. "Hic est pulcher apparatus, sed
panis unde veniet?" exclaimed somebody. "It is a fine show to be sure; but
where is the bread to come from?" The women present, Becket's mother among
them, vowed to send a loaf every Sunday, and soon there was enough and to
spare. Very pretty is the story of the early life of the future martyr,
how his mother, Rohese, used to weigh him on each birthday, and send
money, clothes, and provisions, according to his weight.
The Cistercian is the first of the great religious movements which have
wrought an enduring effect upon our national life. The Crusades, which
have also left their mark in London, made a second; and within the period
we are considering we have also to place the preaching of the Friars, the
Lollardism of Wyclif, and the Reformation. Later on, past mediæval times,
came the Puritan Rebellion, the preaching of the Wesleys, the Oxford Tract
Movement, and the work of F. D. Maurice and the "Broad Church."
But it will be well to set down in order the principal religious
establishments which grew up with the years. Here is a list of them as
they existed at the time of the Reformation:--
FRIARIES AND ABBEYS.--_The Black Friars_ (Dominicans) between Ludgate Hill
and the Thames, extending from St. Andrew's Hill to the Fleet River. Their
house was founded by Hubert de Burgh, earl of Kent, in 1221. It had a
church and precinct with four gates. In this church Archbishop Courtenay
was condemning the writings of Wyclif, when "a great earthquake shook the
city." Here Charles V. lodged when he was visiting Henry VIII. The latter
king held a Parliament here, but transferred it to the house of the Black
Monks of Westminster, hence it was called "the Black Parliament." At the
Dissolution the church was given to the parishioners (St. Anne's,
Blackfriars). The _Grey Friars_ (Franciscans) had a noble house on the
site of what is at this moment, though it will soon cease to be, Christ's
Hospital. Parts of the old buildings remained as late as 1820 (see
_Gentleman's Magazine_, May, 1820), indeed, there is a small portion even
now. The noble church of the _Augustinian_ (Austin) _Friars_ (founded in
1253) still exists off Broad Street, the nave being used by the Dutch
Protestant Church. The _White Friars_ (Carmelites) had their church east
of the Temple, founded 1241. It was pulled down at the Dissolution, and
houses were built on the site, but it still preserved the right of
sanctuary, and was consequently a haunt of thieves and fraudulent debtors.
The privilege was not abolished till 1697. The _Crutched_ (== crossed)
_Friars_, so called because they wore a cross on their backs, had their
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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