The Grey Friars in OxfordLittle, A. G. (Andrew George)
History
The Grey Friars in Oxford
Little, A. G. (Andrew George)
Franciscans -- Great Britain
=John of Stamford=, custodian of Oxford[844], was a man of great
importance among the friars. He was at the council of Lyons in 1245 as
_socius_ of Adam Marsh[845]. The Pope had some thoughts of sending him
with others on an embassy to the Chorasmeni, Tartars, and Saracens, who
had attacked the Holy Land, but the plan was not carried out[846]. On his
return, he was taken ill at Beaune, and was tended by Adam Marsh[847].
John of Stamford was one of the three friars to whom the general entrusted
the confirmation of the election of William of Nottingham’s successor in
the office of Provincial Minister (1251)[848]. Some time after 1245 he
became custodian of Oxford; he held the office in 1253 when Thomas of York
incepted[849]. He joined about this time with Adam Marsh and Thomas of
York in a petition to the Provincial, begging for mercy for Hugh Cote,
probably a lay brother, who had stolen three horses of great value, and
then repented[850]. He succeeded Peter of Tewkesbury as provincial
minister about 1256[851]. His friendship with Adam Marsh lasted to the end
of the latter’s life[852]: feeling that his last days were approaching,
Adam begged Bonaventura, then General, to send to him John of Stamford,
the English Provincial, who was at this time (1257), apparently
abroad[853]. As Provincial he procured an endowment (20_s._ per annum) for
St. Owen’s Church in London, the parish in which the Minorites then had
their house[854]. He is said to have died in 1264, but there is no good
authority for the statement[855]. He was buried at Lynn, with which place
he seems to have had some previous connexion: Brewer calls him warden of
Lynn[856].
=Martin= is mentioned in two letters from Adam Marsh to ‘W., Minister of
England’ as warden of Oxford; but the superscription is untrustworthy and
the date of the letters uncertain[857]. This Martin may have been
identical with the ‘Frater Martinus senex’ (mentioned by Eccleston), who
established the convent at Shrewsbury, and delighted in the recollection
of the hardships and poverty which he had then experienced[858]. A Martin
de Barton, who was also known to Eccleston, and had often seen St.
Francis, came to England in the early years of the Order, and was
afterwards vicar of the English Provincial and filled many other
offices[859]. When custodian of York, Martin de Barton enforced the
strictest poverty, only allowing so many friars to live in any place, as
could be supported by mendicancy alone without incurring debts[860].
=Adam of Warminster= was warden in 1269; he took part in a controversy
with the Dominicans at Oxford in that year, defending his Order against
the charge of being ‘receivers of money[861].’
=John de Codyngton= was warden in 1300, when he received license from the
Bishop to hear confessions in the Archdeaconry of Oxford[862].
=John de Okehampton= was warden in 1340; all that is known of him will be
found in the Appendix B.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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