A member of the order of Dominican friars, founded at the beginning of the 13th century by St. Dominic, so called from the color of their dress.
c. 1500. God speed Plough, 55. Then commeth the blak freres.
1530. Palsgr., 198/2. Blacke frere, jacobin.
1556. Chron. Grey Friars (1852), 95. The bysshopp of Rochester, Morys, that was some tyme a blacke freere.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., vi. III. 269. Of these, Dominicans were the first friars which came over into England anno 1221 … they were commonly called Black friars, Preaching friars, and Jacobin friars.
1786. Ann. Reg., 210/2. He was originally a Black-friar.
Hence, in pl., the quarters of these friars in various cities and towns, e.g., the part of London where their convent was.
1583. Plat, Divers New Exp. (1594), 32. An expert Jeweller, dwelling … in the Black-friers.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., II. ii. 139. The most conuenient place, that I can thinke of For such receipt of Learning, is Black-Fryers.
