The Four Minsters Round the Wrekin (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 edition. Excerpt: ... but also to pry into the actions of the canons, and so thereby take advantage to slander though falsely their conversation and render them odious to the vulgar. He was also to receive poor people and pilgrims with love and in the name of God; not to let them abide long at the gate to the disturbance of the quiet, but send them away with refreshment, for which purpose he had several loaves appointed by the cellarer, to be laid in his cell to distribute to them, especially on fasting days, when there was no offal meat from the refectory. So great it seems was their care in relieving all sorts of people that pretended poverty, that though corn was often scarce by reason of famines that happened in those days, yet rather than send them away empty would diminish their usual allowance at times of refection to relieve them. "After the entrance into the Great Gate, which was on the north side of the abbey, was beheld a spacious Court or quadrangle, for the most part of freestone, and situated at the west end of the church from the Gate on the left hand; and so all under the said end of the church was a spacious cloister decked and beautified with a boarded roof, having the arms of benefactors thereon, as also several rebuses and allusions intimating those persons. "Going through the cloister the passenger was conducted to the Refectory, a Common Hall, which was of a large and curious structure on the south side of the quadrangle. It was the common place of resort where all did meet at the sound of the bell to take their diet; for the manner and decency that they used in eating was that according to their Rule the Scripture should be read and expounded that so their souls as well as their bodies might the same time be fed with spiritual...