+Source.+--_Monumenta Franciscana_, vol. i., pp. 5 _et seqq._ (Rolls
Series.)
In the year of our Lord 1224, in the time of the lord Pope Honorius, and
in the same year in which the Rule of the Blessed Francis was confirmed
by him, in the eighth year of the reign of King Henry, son of John, on
the third day after the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin,
which fell that year on a Sunday, the Minorite Brethren first landed in
England at Dover; there were four clerks and five laymen. The following
were the clerks:--First, Brother Agnellus of Pisa, a deacon of about
thirty years old, who had been appointed by the Blessed Francis in the
last general chapter, Provincial Minister in England.... The second was
Brother Richard of Ingworth, an Englishman, a priest and preacher
somewhat more advanced in years, who was the first to preach to the
people beyond the mountains.... The third was Brother Richard of Devon,
also an Englishman, a young acolyte, who left us divers examples of
longsuffering and obedience.... The fourth was Brother William Ashby, a
youthful Englishman, still a novice wearing the garb of probation.
The laymen were these:--First, Brother Henry of Ceruise, a Lombard, who,
on account of his sanctity and great discretion, was made warden of
London, and who, when his period of labour in England was completed,
after the numbers of the brethren had been increased, returned to his
own country. The second was Brother Laurence, from Beauvais, who was
engaged at the beginning in uncompleted work, according to the
injunctions of the Rule; afterwards he journeyed to the Blessed Francis,
whom he was favoured to see frequently, and by whose conversation he was
comforted; finally, the holy Father freely gave him his robe, and with a
most pleasant benediction sent him back joyful to England.... The third
was Brother W. of Florence, who returned to France, soon after the
reception of the brethren (in England). The fourth was Melioratus; the
fifth, Brother Jacobus Ultramontanus, still a novice in the garb of
probation.
These nine, who had been brought across for charity to England and
freely supplied with necessaries by the monks of Fécamp, came to
Canterbury and abode at the priory of the Holy Trinity for two days;
then four of them, to wit, Brother Richard of Ingworth, Brother Richard
of Devon, Brother Henry, and Brother Melioratus, proceeded to London.
The five others went to the Hospital of Poor Priests, where they
remained until they had prepared a place of residence for themselves;
soon after, a small room within the school was given to them, where they
remained from day to day, shut up almost constantly. When the scholars
returned home in the evening, the brethren entered the house where the
scholars had been seated, made themselves a fire, and sat near it;
sometimes, when they wished to drink, they placed on a fire a pot with
the dregs of beer, and put a dish in the pot, and drank in turn,
speaking each some words of pious instruction; and as he bears witness
who shared in their real simplicity, and was a participator in their
holy poverty, their drink was often so thick that, when the pots came to
be heated, they poured in water, and so drank with pleasure....
The four brethren, of whom I have spoken above, when they came to
London, betook themselves to the Friars Preachers, by whom they were
kindly received, and with whom they remained for two weeks, eating and
drinking what was set before them, like intimate friends. Afterwards
they hired a house in the village of Cornhill, where they constructed
cells, stuffing the interstices between the cells with grass. They
remained until the following summer in their early simplicity, without a
chantry, because they had yet no privilege to erect altars and celebrate
divine service in their house. Just before the Feast of All Saints, and
before Brother Agnellus had come to London, Brother Richard of Ingworth
and Brother Richard of Devon came to Oxford, and there also were most
kindly received by the Preaching Brothers, in whose refectory they ate,
and in whose dormitory they slept, for eight days. Afterwards they hired
for themselves a house in the parish of S. Ebba, and there remained
without a chantry until the following summer. There the Blessed Jesus
sowed a grain of mustard-seed, which afterwards became the greatest
among herbs. From that place Brother Richard of Ingworth and Brother
Richard of Devon set out to Northampton, where they took up their abode
in the hospital. And afterwards they hired for themselves a house in the
parish of S. Egidius, where the first warden was Brother Peter of Spain,
who wore an iron corselet next his body and furnished many other
examples of perfection. The first warden of Oxford was Brother William
Ashby, hitherto a novice; he was now given the dress of the Order. The
first warden of Cambridge was Brother Thomas of Spain; of Lincoln,
Brother Henry Misericorde, a layman. The lord John Travers first
received the brethren at Cornhill, and gave them a house; a certain
layman from Lombardy was appointed warden, who first taught letters by
night in the church of the Blessed Peter at Cornhill, and afterwards
became Vicar of England, while Brother Agnellus went to the general
chapter. In the vicarate he had as his associate Brother Richard of
Ingworth; in the end, being unable to endure such heights of prosperity,
and being weakened by so many honours, he became insane, and apostatised
from the Order. It is worthy of note that in the second year of the
administration of Brother Peter, fifth Minister of England, that is to
say, in the thirty-second year after the arrival of the brethren in
England, the number of brethren living in the province of England, in
forty-nine places, amounted to MCCXLII.