The archdeacon's servant had already preceded them thither with the vestments.是什么意思？

The archdeacon's servant had already preceded them thither with the vestments.

执事长的仆人已经带着法衣在他们之前上那儿去了.

the

art. 指已提到的人（物），指说话人与听者已知的人（物），用于独一无二的事物前，与形容词最高级和序数词连用；

例句
He did have a real knowledge of the country...
他对该国的确知之甚多。

servant

n. 仆人，佣人，雇工，[美]奴仆，奴隶，官吏，公务员，服务员，随员，献身…的人；

例句
Last year, a civil servant was imprisoned for leaking a document to the press...
去年，一名公务员因向报界泄露了一份文件而被判入狱。

had

v. 有（ have的过去式和过去分词 ），（亲属关系中）接受，拿，买到；

例句
He claimed that his parents had abandoned him...
他声称父母遗弃了他。

already

adv. 早已，已经，先前；

例句
He has already voted by absentee ballot...
他已进行了缺席投票。

preceded

v. 在…之前发生（或出现），先于( precede的过去式和过去分词 )，走在…前面；

例句
The Speaker is preceded by the mace-bearer upon his entry to the chamber.
当议长走进议事厅的时候，前面由执议长权标的人开路。

them

pron. 他们，她们，它们；

例句
I take care of them to the best of my abilities...
我尽我所能地照顾他们。

thither

adv. 到那边，向那方；adj. 在那边的，对岸的，那边的；

例句
Refugees run hither and thither in search of safety.
难民们四处逃奔，寻求安全之所。

with

prep. 和，跟，随着，关于，和…一致；

例句
A waiter entered with a tray...
侍者端着托盘进来了。

vestments

n. 礼仪服装( vestment的名词复数 )，（尤指牧师的）法衣，圣衣，祭服；

例句
Perfume too seemed to emanate from the glorious hair and white clinging vestments of she herself.
她光亮的头发和雪白的罩袍也散发着这种香气.