[brothers ]. Applied to the four great religious orders
—Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians, and Carmelites. Later, a
fifth order was added—that of the Trinitarians. The first two were
called Black and Grey friars, the Carmelites were called
White friars, and the Trinitarians Crutched friars (q.v.
).
Friars
(See Black.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
