Their fare was of the meanest, but they gained in estimation every
day. In their humble quarters at Cornhill they remained preaching,
visiting, nursing, begging their bread, but always gay and busy, till
the summer of 1225, when a certain John Iwyn--again a name
suspiciously like the phonetic representative of the common Norfolk
name of _Ewing_--a mercer and citizen, offered them a more
spacious and comfortable dwelling in the parish of St. Nicholas. As
their brethren at Canterbury had done, so did they; they refused all
houses and lands, and the house was made over to the corporation of
London for their use. Not long after the worthy citizen assumed the
Franciscan habit and renounced the world, to embrace poverty.

In the autumn of 1225 Ingworth and the younger Richard left London,
Agnellus taking their place. He had not been idle at Canterbury, and
his success in making converts had been remarkable. At Canterbury and
London the Minorites had secured for themselves a firm footing. The
Universities were next invaded. The two Richards reached Oxford about
October, 1225, and as before were received with great cordiality by
the Dominicans, and hospitably entertained for eight days. Before a
week was out they had got the loan of a house or hall in the parish
of St. Ebbs, and had started lectures and secured a large following.
Here young Esseby joined them, sent on it seems by Agnellus from
London to assist in the work; a year or so older than when he first
landed, and having shown in that time unmistakable signs of great
capacity and entire devotion to the work. Esseby was quite able to
stand alone.

Once more the two Richards moved on to Northampton, where an "opening
from the Lord" seemed to have presented itself. By this time the
whole country was on the tip-toe of expectation and crowds of all