[WHITE a. 6 a.]
1. A Carmelite friar (whose habit is distinguished by a white cloak and scapular). Also, loosely, a Premonstratensian or White Canon.
1412. in Laing Charters (1899), 24. Willyam Cokar, than beande prouincial of the Quite Freris of Scotlande.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. ii. (1883), 88. I haue my self ben conuersant in a religious hous of white freris at gaunt which haue all thynge in comyn.
a. 1500. Lynn Chron., in Six Town Chron. (1911), 198. In this yere one william chysborow and a whyght ffryere was hanged drawen and quartered.
1603. Stow, Surv., 312. The white Fryers church in Fleet-street.
1762. Bp. Forbes, Jrnl. (1886), 170. An Abbacy of Præmonstratenses, or White Friars.
1766. [see CARMELITE].
2. pl. The Carmelite convent in Fleet Street, London; hence, the district or neighbourhood in which it was.
‘Having been formerly a sanctuary, it long retained the privilege of protecting persons liable to arrest, and thus became the resort of debtors … and profligates’ (Nares).
Hence attrib.
1561. Awdelay, Frat. Vacab. (1869), 51. There came … a Counterfet Cranke vnder my lodgynge at the whyte Fryares.
1609. B. Jonson, Silent Wom., Prol. Cates … fit for Ladies;… Some for your waiting wench, and city-wires; Some for your men, and daughters of White-Fryars.
1620. Melton, Astrologaster, 36. Some of his White-Fryer Mistresses.
3. colloq. or dial. A fake or particle of white scum or froth floating on liquid.
1729. Swift, Direct. Serv., i. (1745), 22. If the Cork be musty, or White Fryers in your Liquor.
1856. P. Kennedy, Banks Boro, xxv. 191. The white-friars came at last on the potatoes in the big pot: they then proceeded to boil.
