Founded c.1100, the house at Grenoble became a site of pilgrimage for those suffering from *Saint Anthony's fire. They were black-robed itinerants, ringing small bells for alms. They owned many pigs which were permitted to run freely in town streets and were required to wear bells as a sign of their ownership. (St Anthony was the patron saint of swineherds.) All other citizens had to keep their pigs in their house.
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.