The Grey Friars in OxfordLittle, A. G. (Andrew George)
History
The Grey Friars in Oxford
Little, A. G. (Andrew George)
Franciscans -- Great Britain
=Richard de Ingewrthe= or =Indewurde= (Norfolk) is named second in the
list of friars who came over with Agnellus in 1224. He was a priest and
advanced in years; according to Eccleston he was the first Minorite who
preached to the people ‘_citra montes_.’ With three other friars he
established the first house of Franciscans in London (at Cornhill); he
then proceeded to Oxford with Richard of Devon, hired a house of Robert le
Mercer in St. Ebbe’s, and thus founded the original convent in the
University town. The two companions then went on to Northampton, where
they again hired a house and founded a friary. Richard of Ingewrthe
afterwards became custodian of Cambridge, which was specially noted for
its poverty under his rule. In 1230, when Agnellus attended the General
Chapter at Assisi, he was associated in the Vicariate of the English
Province with Henry de Ceruise or Treviso, a lay-brother from Lombardy.
Soon after this he was sent by the General, John Parens, as Provincial
Minister to Ireland. At length he was released from the office in General
Chapter by Albert of Pisa (c. 1239), set out as a missionary to Palestine,
and died there[1221].
=Richard of Devon=, a young acolyte, was the third of those who came over
with Agnellus. He accompanied R. of Ingewrthe from Canterbury to London,
Oxford, and Northampton;
‘and (in Eccleston’s words) left us many examples of longsuffering and
obedience. For after he had traversed many provinces in obedience to
commands, he was for fifteen years worn out by frequent quartan fevers
and remained continually at Romehale[1222].’
=Adam of Oxford= was a master before he entered the Order[1223]. The
account of his conversion given by Eccleston[1224] is as follows:
Master Adam of Oxford, of worldwide fame[1225], had made a vow that he
would do anything he was asked to do ‘for the love of the blessed
Mary;’ and he told this to a certain recluse, who was a friend of his.
She revealed his secret to her friends, that is, to a monk of Reading,
another of the Cistercian Order, and a Friar Preacher; telling them
that they could gain such a man in such a way; not wishing that Adam
should become a Friar Minor. But the Blessed Virgin did not permit
anyone in his presence to make the needful request; but deferred it
to another time. One night he dreamed that he had to cross a bridge,
where some men were throwing their nets into the stream, endeavouring
to catch him: but he escaped this with great difficulty and reached a
very peaceful spot. Now when by the divine will he had escaped all
others, he went casually to see the Friars Minors, and during the
conversation Friar William de Colvile, the elder, a man of great
sanctity, said to him: ‘Dear master, enter our Order for the love of
the Mother of God and help our simplicity.’ And Adam immediately
consented to do so, as if he had heard the words from the lips of the
Mother of God.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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