The Grey Friars in Oxford

by A. G. Little

At Winchester, there were 23 Minorites in 1243 (Liberate, 27 Hen. III, m. 2); 43 in 1315 (Q. R. Wardrobe, ²⁴⁄10). At Reading, there were 13 in 1239 (Liberate, 23 Hen. III, m. 3); 26 in 1326 (Q. R. Wardrobe, ¹⁵⁄1).

From these figures, and from the Bull of Clement V in 1309 (granting property of the Friars of the Sack to the Grey Friars), we may infer that the numbers in the Oxford convent increased rather than diminished up to A. D. 1349.

[272] Mun. Acad. 388: ‘quidam in eorum primo adventu in villam Oxoniae ... ad opponendum in sacra theologia se offerunt inopinate.’ Ibid. 390: ‘nisi prius dictas liberales artes per octo annos integros in Universitate vel alibi rite audierit,’ &c. Friars sometimes however spent the whole time at the University; see Regist. G. 6, fol. 55 a (R. Burton); H. 7, fol. 124 (J. Thornall).

[273] Mun. Acad. 389; Lyte, 223.

[274] Mun. Acad. 389. One of these years at least must be spent at Oxford; ib. 388: sometimes six or even twelve years’ residence in a University was insisted on; Regist. G. 6, f. 61 b (Banester); H. 7, f. 73 (Thornall).

[275] Ibid. 204, 388: ‘a doctore proprio ejusdem ordinis et Regente.’

[276] Mun. Acad. 204, 388.

[277] Ibid. 389.

[278] Cf. Univ. Reg. Vol. II, Part I, p. 22, disputations ‘in Parvisis’ (for B.A.).

[279] Mun. Acad. 206.