The Coming of the Friars

"The Coming of the Friars" by Augustus Jessopp is a historical account written in the late 19th century. The book explores the rise and influence of the Franciscan and Dominican orders in medieval Europe, focusing particularly on their impact on society and the Church during times of crisis. Jessopp delves into the social and religious upheaval of the 13th century, highlighting figures such as St. Francis of Assisi and St. Dominic, and articulating the need for renewal in Christian practice and outreach. At the start of the text, the author sets the stage by discussing the desperate social conditions of Europe at the close of the 12th century. He references significant figures like Abbot Joachim and King Richard the Lionheart while emphasizing the prevalent expectation of upheaval and transformation in society. The opening continues with the introduction of St. Francis, depicting his journey from a prosperous merchant to a religious reformer who embraced radical poverty and service to the poor. Jessopp illustrates Francis’s transformative mission, alongside the motivations and struggles faced by the Franciscans and Dominicans, as these orders sought to address the spiritual needs of their time and established their unique places in Christian ministry. Throughout the narrative, there is a clear distinction made between the contemplative lifestyle of monks and the active, itinerant nature of friars, setting up the thematic exploration of reform and renewal. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Augustus Jessopp was an English cleric and writer. He spent periods of time as a schoolmaster and then later as a clergyman in Norfolk, England. He wrote regular articles for The Nineteenth Century, variously on humorous, polemical and historical topics. He published scholarly work on local Norfolk history and on aspects of English literature. A good friend of the academic and ghost-story writer M. R. James, he is described by James' biographer R. W. Pfaff as "a fine specimen of the learned but somewhat eccentric country parson."