make Masters of Divinity amongst themselves The Franciscan Order soon spread it self in all parts insomuch that from Anno 1211. till the year 1380. as Sebellicus affirmeth 1500. Monasteries of this Order were erected in Christendom and in his time were reputed to be 90000. Minorites And thus much of these Orders from whence we proceed to those of lesser Note or Antiquity CHAP. VI. A Brief Account of divers Orders and Institutions of either Sex as the Clarissae Eremites of St. Paul Monks of St. Mary Celestini Jesuati the Order of St. Bridget and that of St. Katharine Canons Regular of St. Saviour and of St. George Albati with many others CLara was the Daughter of Ortubana born in the Town of Assisium in who from her Infancy in a manner was wonderfully given to Devotion and desirous to lead a Religious Life so that as soon as she was able she undertook two tedious Pilgrimages one to Rome and the other to visit the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem and stole from her Parents who would have restrained it that she might cut off her Hair nor by any perswasion could she be brought to renounce her intended course of Life but about the year 1215. She instituted at the Church of St. Damianus the Order of the poor Ladies and Virgins called from her Clarissae and from that place were sometimes called Nuns of St. Damian and in a Cottage near to this place lived she 4.2 years afflicting her self with Watching Fasting and all manner of hardship lying on Boards and wearing next her flesh the hairy side of a Hogs skin going bare-foot and in Lent and on other fasting days subsisted on Bread and Water not tasting Wine but on the Sunday giving as her Rule that of the Franciscans and had her Order confirmed by Innocent the Third or as some will have it Honorius the Third nor by Pope Gregory could she be perswaded to reserve any of her Possessions but lived and died in Poverty and was Canonized The Eremites of St. Paul were Anno 1215. Instituted in Hungary after the Rules of St. Augustine by one Eusebius of Strigonium and by Gentilis the Popes Legate confirmed Anno 1308. and seated themselves at Colchester in England about the year 1310. The Order called Boni Homines or Boni Viri Good Men was instituted by Edmund Son to Richard Earl of Cornwal who had been elected Emperor of Germany or the Roman Empire and wore a Skie-coloured Garment following St. Augustine's Rules The Monks or Servants of St. Mary were Instituted by Philip Tuder a Florentine after St. Austin's Rules the Garment or Habit of this Order was a Black Cloak plaited about the Shoulders and under it a short Coat and was confirmed by Benet the Eleventh Bishop of Rome and by seven other Popes or Bishops succeeding him being permitted to carry a Satchel or Bag to gather Almes which in Italy they beg The Institution of this Order was Anno 1282. or as some will have it 1285. The Celestini were so named from Celestine the First Bishop of Rome who before his advancement lived as an Eremite in sundry Desarts and erected this Order enjoining the Monks St. Bennet's Rules procuring them to be confirmed by Pope Gregory the Tenth in the General Council of Lyons ordaining their Habit to be of Sky-colour without a Hood These Monks came into England 1414. The Jesuati was an Order that began at Senae and founded by John Columbanus and Francis Vincent in the year 1365. and were so called from their often using the Name of Jesus who being approved by Pope Vrban the Fifth he appointed them to wear White Garments a White Cover for their Heads a Leathern Girdle and to go bare-footed with only wooden bottoms tyed about their Feet and for their plainness of life and sincerity were afward called Apostolici The Order of St. Bridger both Monks and Nuns were instituted by a Princess of Sweden of that Name Anno 1360. who obtained a confirmation of her Order from Pope Vrban the Fifth according to St. Basil's Rules in the general though with some additions The Monks and Nuns of this Order are not debarred their Religious Houses to be far separated the one from the other and to be present at one and the same Church As for the Brothers it is their business according to injunction to officiate below while the Sisters do the like above As for the Cloathing of both Sex Crey was enjoyned viz. a Cloak-Coat and a Red Cross thereon As to Sustenance or that wherewith they subsisted it ought to be common amongst them and their Lodging to be only on Straw The Nuns were enjoined to wear on their Veil a White Linnen Crown spotted or streaked with Red Cloth imitating drops of Blood and so placed that they may appear like a Cross As for the Sisters they are directed what Prayers to use every day enjoyned silence and to avoid conferring with men except upon urgent occasions and that through a Window but she who opens not her Window at all has the most praise As for their Consecration it is from the Bishop and their Confession through a Lattice where they may be heard but not seen unless upon receiving the Sacrament When any one enters the Convent she has her Coffin carried before her by four Sisters and in the Convent is a Grave to put them in mind of their mortality as for their Devotion it is enjoined very strict as likewise are all the other matters relating to the Order More of which you may see in Antonius Trithemius Balaeus Nauclerus c. The Order of St. Katharine is according to the Rules of Dominicus the story going That she saw him with the Founders of divers other Orders in a Dream and he having a Lilly in his hand bid her undertake some of their Orders which made her choose his She was born at Sena in Tuscany and vowed Virginity in her Childhood and after she professed this Order drank only Water and eat Bread and Herbs lying in her Clothes upon the Boards and afflicting her self with an Iron Chain watching often and giving her self much to Devotion chastizing her self for her own sins for the Dead and for those that were Alive The Nuns of St. Katharine's Order wore Garments of White cast over with a Blcak Veil and Head Covering and is held to begin Anno 1372. or as some will have it 1455. Lodovicus Barbus a Venetian instituted the Order of Justinian in the year 1409. after the Rule of S. Benet which was by Eugenius the Fourth Bishop of Rome inlarged and by John the Twenty fourth Bishop of Rome confirmed As for the Monks of this Order they lived very strictly never eating out of their Convent with Lay-men unless great necessity urged it and being very charitable to strangers they often washed their Feet c. As witness Hospinian Polidore Virgil Franciscus Modius Antonius c. The Eremites of the Order of St. Hierom were enjoyned the Rule of St. Austin being
Monastery Some small parcels of Land they have whereon they feed Sheep Goats and the like to give them Milk not cohabiting above twelve Religious men in a Convent besides the Prior eighteen Lay Converts and some few Servants to fetch in their Provision who are not admitted into the superior Quire but have one by themselves nor will they re-admit any that has revolted These were their Primitive Rules but are since somewhat moderated Their yearly meeting is at a Chapter annually held at Carthusia about their own affairs two Monks being deputed to represent each Cloister being enjoined not to be absent from their Cells above fourteen days As for this Order it was confirmed Anno 1178. by Pope Alexander the Third and coming into England Anno 1180. seated themselves at Witham near Bathe and of them more at large you may read in Balaeus Polidore Virgil Vincentius c. The Cestertian Order began about the year 1098. being founded by one Robert Abbot of Molismenia who by the perswasion of one Robert Harding an Englishman forsook the society of the Benedictines as not pleased with the indifferent regard they had to their Primitive Strictness of living and in the Company of twenty one Monks came to Cestertium in Burgundy and there erected a Convent resolving to revive as it were St. Benet's Rules and strictly to observe them and professing Poverty and Humility they would not suffer their Monks to meddle with Husbandry or any Secular matters ordering as St. Benet did that each Monastery should consist of twelve Monks and an Abbot and are enjoined silence unless to the Abbot or Prior and if any one escape the Bishop apprehends him if he can be found in his Diocess and obliges him to return two Coats and two Hoods being all the Garments that are allowed them They are very strict in their Fasts saluting Strangers by declining their Body and Head and in imitation of our Blessed Saviour wash their Feet and after a third escape no one is to be received into the Convent And as for the Abbots Table it must be furnished for strangers to relieve them on their journey Pope Vrbin the Second confirmed this Order Anno 1100. and thirty two years after they came into England in Grey Habit wherefore by some they were called Grisei The Bernardines so called from St. Bernard Abbot of Clarivallis and differ from the Cistertians but in that their Habit is Black nor are they in subjection to Bishops or Advocates it being ordered by Pope Alexander the Third upon the refusal of the Bishop to bless the Abbot one of the Monks of this Convent might bestow the Benediction The Humiliati began their Order about the Year of Christ 1164. They were a people brought out of Lombardy into Germany as Captives by Frederick Barbarossa who warred upon that Country and being tired with their long Captivity they attired themselves in white and assembling especially the chief of them together they cast themselves with Tears and Supplications at the Emperors feet imploring him to give them leave to pass into their own Country which moving him to compassion he granted And having Vowed to turn Recluses they built Monasteries and mostly betook them to a Monastical life giving themselves to Fasting Prayer Meditation and Working with their Hands at making Cloth Their Habit is a plain Coat a Scapular and a white Cloak over it and strictly observe St. Benet's Rules with some small addition These were confirmed an Order by Pope Innocent the Third and others that succeeded him The which together with a larger discourse of these Monasticks you may find in Polydore Sebelicus Volateran Antonius Trithemius Crantzius and the like Authors The Praemonstratenses were an Order Founded by one Robert or as some will have it Norbert Archbishop of Magdeburgh who not relishing the Vanity and Pride of some Ecclesiasticks of those days betook himself with thirteen of his Companions into a Forest in the Diocess of Liege and entering upon a strict Life he went bare-foot even in the Winter preaching Repentance Anno. 1119 and regulated their Actions by the Rules of St. Austin which they say were delivered to them in golden Letters Their Habit is a white Coat with a Linnen Surplice under a Cloak and these were confirmed by Calixtus the Second by the Title of Canons Regular Exempt Their Abbots are denied to wear Gloves Miters and Staves or Rings All the Abbots of the Order in their persons or by their Deputies are obliged to be present at Praemonstratum once a year to consult the good of the Order and if any of them refuse the rest may inflict such Penalties as none but the Pope can take off These Abbots have likewise power to Excommunicate If the Diocesian refuse to give Ordination they may require it of any other Bishop he by reason of their Exemption having no power over them These and many the like Priviledges Pope Innocent the Fourth bestowed on them after they were Confirmed they having likewise divers Schools amongst them for the Education of Youth Their coming first into England was about the year of Christ 1145. and having liberty from the Pope to have Nunneries close to their Monasteries they seated themselves in Lincoln-shire The Gilbertines took their denomination from one Gilbert a Native of Lincoln-shire who in the year 1148. instituted that Order and Erected in a little space Thirteen Monasteries to whose Monks he prescribed divers Rules taken out of those of St. Bennet and St. Austin and had the Order confirmed by Pope Eugenius the Third his chief Monastery or Cloyster being at Semperingham in Lincoln-shire in which were said to be Seven hundred Monks or as some will have them Friers and Eleven hundred Nuns And of this Order as to its rise c. Balaeus Capgrave Crezantius and Trithemius Sigebert's Continuator c. witnesseth The Cruciferi or Crucigeri vulgarly called Crouched Friers were first seen in England Anno. 1244. having their first Monastery at Colchester but are said to be the Institution of Cyriacus Bishop of Jerusalem in memory of the Cross which Helena Mother to Constantine the Great found by his directions and therefore were enjoyned when they went abroad to carry a Cross in their Hands And in the year 1215. they were Restored or Confirmed by Innocent the Third Bishop of Rome or rather as some believe newly Instituted and the reason they give is because the great Commotions raised in Rome were suppressed by the Croysados or Army of Christians who had the Cross for their Badge and were then going for Syria against the Infidels This Order was ratified and confirmed by Pope Innocent the Fourth and Pope Alexander the Third wearing a skie-colour'd Habit by the appointment of Pope Pius the Second Polydore makes some scruple to believe That the Grucigeri are the same Order with those we have mentioned because they wear black Cloaks and carry not in their Hands but have fixed on their Breasts a Red and White Cross and observe
St. Austin's Rules The Hospitalers of the Holy Ghost took their beginning at Rome about the Year of Christ 1201 and were called Hospitalarii confirmed by Pope Innocent the Third having the privilege of the Monks that preceded them Their chief business was to see the Poor and Sick were well lodged attended and carefully provided for as likewise to Bury them when they were dead and use other charitable Offices to the same purpose The Trinitarians or Monks of the Order of the Trinity began Anno 1211. and were Founded by John Manta and Faelix Anachoreta who its said were warned in a Vision to repair to Innocent the Third and to require of him a place for their Order and he warned by the like means of their coming approved and confirmed them cloathing them both in white Cloaks giving them as a Badge a red and skie-coloured Cross upon their Breasts calling them Brothers of the Holy Trinity and Monks of the Redemption of Captives Their charge being to Collect Money for the Redemption of such as were taken Prisoners and held in Bondage by the Infidels The first coming into England of this Order was Anno 1357. two parts of whose Revenues were allowed for their Maintenance a third for Redemption of Captives By their Rule Three Clergy-men and as many Lay-Brothers were to dwell with one Procurator who was to be called by the Name of Minister They were to wear Garments of white Cloth and lodge in Woollen putting off their Breeches when they went to Bed They might ride on Asses but not on Horses Fasting is injoyned them and not to eat Flesh but on a Sunday from Easter to Advent-Sunday and from Christmas to Septuagesima-Sunday likewise on the Nativity Epiphany Ascention Assumption Purification and on all Saints days being further injoyned to labour with their Hands and every Sunday to hold a Chapter or Assembly for regulating their Affairs in the Convent and in the Octaves of Pentecost a General Chapter to be held every Year As for their Minister he must be chosen by the Brothers in common consent being a Priest every Convent having one over all which must be owned Superior nor must any be admitted into the Order till past the Age of Twenty who must be shaven though the Lay-men are allowed their Beards and have injoyned them Rules for Civility Continency Love Sobriety and other Christian Virtues according to the Rules of St. Basil St. Benet and St. Augustin c. The Bethlemites are another Order who came into England about the Year 1257. and had their abode near Cambridge and soon after in it and had a red Star on their Breast like a Comet in Commemoration of the Star that appeared to signifie the Birth of our Saviour to the Wise-men of the East Their Apparel being comparative to that of the Dominicans or Praedicants of which we shall hereafter speak The Dominicans were so called from the Founder of their Order viz. one Dominicus a Spaniard taking their original from the Humiliatii and were Anno 1205 Instituted by Innocent the Third Bishop of Rome The main design of their Institution being to Read Preach Write and Expound the Word of God which gives the occasion of naming them Praedicants or Praedicatories As for the Founder of their Order by the aforesaid Bishop of Rome Anno 1207. he was joyned with Twelve Abbots of the Cistertian Order to preach against the Doctrine of the Albigenses and professing the Rules of St. Austin with some addition he had his Order confirmed by Honorius the Third Bishop of Rome dividing his Monastery into Three parts one he alotted himself and those Brothers that were Contemplative the second for Contemplative Sisters and the last for either Sex if they were given to a stirring and active course of Life under the denomination of Brothers and Sisters of Saint Dominick or the Souldiers of Jesus Christ The Dominicans are bound to renounce worldly Riches every Year to hold a General Chapter to Fast as much as possible from Holy-Rood Day in September till Easter and at other times to eat no Flesh on Fridays unless in case of sickness As for their lying it is to be in Blankets nor must they lye in Feather-Beds silence is injoyned them as likewise to wear a white Coat under a black Cloak That they be satisfied with the Title of Friers Praedicants to celebrate every Saturday the Office of the Virgin Mary unless in Lent and on Festival Days and that for the preaching the Gospel they disperse themselves through all parts of the World choosing them a general Master whose subordinate Prelates should be stiled Priors Dominicus himself being the first Master-General Anno 1220. but he enjoyed it not long dying the next Year As for the Praedicants they do not faithfully promise to live according to these Rules but to live up to them as well as they can and by their Preaching and Industry they wonderfully spread themselves into most parts of the World insomuch that Sebelicus affirms That in the Year of Christ 1494. there were Monasteries of this Order Four thousand one hundred forty three in which were found One thousand five hundred Masters of Divinity and One hundred and fifty Convents of Dominican Nuns and the cause of this great increase is thought to proceed from the good Opinion the World had of Dominicus who gave himself up to a strict Life and for which he was Canonized by Gregory the Ninth Anno 1233. and at this Day the Order is in high esteem at Rome and many Priviledges were conferred upon them as to Preach in any Pulpit of a Roman Clergy-man without asking leave of the Eishop to oblige Nobleman and Ladies to Confess to them and not to their Curates to Administer the Sacrament when they think sit and be utterly exempted from all Ecclesiastical Censures and these were confirmed by Pope Innocent the Fourth not are any that have taken this Order to change it And of these things testifie Antonius Vicentius Theodoricus of Apolea in the Life of Dominicus Matthew Paris Crantzius and others The Mendicant Friers were of Four kinds and amongst them the Praedicants of whom we have spoken were recorded the rest were Augustinians Carmelites and Minorites and of these in their Order As for the Augustinians their first Founder was William Duke of Aquitain about the year of Christ 1150. from whom they took the denomination of Guilebelimites and were enjoyned by Innocent the Fourth to follow St. Austins Rule and Alexander the Fourth reduced these and all other Eremites to the same Rule being as Tradition goes warned so to do by St. Augustine who appeared to him and subjected them to a grand Prior dispensing with their former Rules and Observations enjoyning them to forsake the Desarts and live in Cities Towns and Villages there to teach the people giving them divers priviledges which were augmented by Honorius the Fourth about the year 1290. Their Habit was a Black Coat with a Hood of the same colour
to redeem Christian Captives taken by the Infidels Their Garments were White with a Black Cross and professed the Rules of the Cistertian Order The Knights of Montesia were Instituted by the same King of Aragon and confirmed by Pope Gregory the Ninth and were so called from a place in Valentia the Badge of their Order being a Red Cross and hold the Cistertian Rules The Knights of St. Maurice were Instituted by Amadeus the Seventh Duke of Savoy in honour of St. Maurice Anno 1490. The Order of the Golden Fleece was instituted by Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy and Father to Charles whom the Switzers overcame and slew he Instituting it on his Wedding day with Isabel Daughter to the King of Portugal in memory of Jason's fetching the Golden Fleece as some will have it The Order of the Moon was Instituted by Reiner Duke of Anjou upon his obtaining the Kingdom of Sicily Anno 1464. and as a Badge the Knights wear a Silver Half-Moon on their Arms and were in all dangers bound to stand by and defend each other not at any time presuming to fall at variance amongst themselves The Knights of St. Michael the Arch-Angel were Instituted by Lewis the French King Anno 1469. The Badge of their Order being a Gold Chain at which hangs the Image of St. Michael trampling on the Infernal Dragon and of this Order he appointed 36. Knights himself to be the Chief The Knights of St. Stephen were the Institution of Cosmo Duke of Florence and were confirmed Anno 1561. by Pope Pius the Fourth wearing Red Crosses set in Gold their Seat is in Ilua an Isle of the Ligustick Sea and were Instituted in imitation of the Knights of Malta taking their Denomination from Stephen Bishop of Florence or as some are of Opinion from Stephen Bishop of Rome The Knights of the Holy Spirit were Instituted by Henry the French King Anno 1579. The Knights of St. George in England were Instituted by King Edward the Third commonly called Knights of the Garter The Knights of the Star were Instituted by King John the First of France in memory of the Star that guided the Eastern Magi to the place where Christ was born The Knights of the Genets held to be the first Order of Knighthood in France was instituted by Charles Martel in memory of the signal Victory he obtained over Abdiramo in whose Camp he found many of those Creatures whose skins are excellent Furrs The Order of the Crown Royal was Instituted by Charles the Great in honour of the Frisons who had done him great service in his wars again the Sesnes or antient Saxons The Order of the Star in France was Instituted by King Robert Anno 1022. the whole Order consisting of thirty Knights of which the King was the Principal the Garb they wore were Cloaks of White Damask and a Star of Gold imbroidered with five pointed Rays on the left side The Order of the Broom-Flower was instituted by St. Lewis the French King who in the Collar of his Order wore Golden Broom-Husks or Cods intermingled with Flower de Ly's by which he signified that from a Law Estate or Humility he had been exalted to the Throne The Order of the Ship was likewise Instituted by the same King to encourage the Nobility of France either in Person or Estate to set their helping hand to the improvement of Navigation or to attempt the Seas with him to restore the Possessions of the Christians in the Holy Land The Collar of this Order was interlaced with Scallops double imitating or Emblematically signifying the Sandy Shoar and double Crescents or Half-Moons which with the figure of a Ship at the Collar or Chain in Cipher might signifie his intentions to sight against Mahumetans wherefore the Knights were daily obliged to hear things to incite them to the vindication and promoting of the Christian Faith to protect Widows Orphans and those that were oppressed The Order of the Holy Ghost in France was Instituted by Henry the third in memory of his Nativity Election to the Polonian Kingdom and his coming to the Possession of the Crown of France all which hapned on Whitsunday This Order consisted of the King and one hundred Knights amongst whom were four Cardinals five Prelates the Chancellor Provost Master of the Ceremonies the High Treasurer and Register all the Knights being bound to wear the Cross on their Garments The Order of Christian Charity was Instituted by the same King enjoining those to use their diligence in relieving Captives and have regard to maimed Souldiers and other Objects of Charity And to that end he assigned them Rents and Hospitals they wore on their Cloak as their Badge an Anchor'd Cross embroidered with White Sattin The Order of the Virgin Mary in Mount Carmel was instituted by Henry the Fourth French King the number ordained being one hundred Gentlemen Natives of France and was confirmed by Pope Paul the Fifth Anno 1607. The Order of Orleance was Instituted by Lewis of France Duke of Orleance Anno 1393. called the Order of the Porcupine Because the Knights wore a Porcupine of Gold at the end of three Chains for their Badge The Order of the Golden Shield was Instituted by Lewis the Second third Duke of Bourbon sirnamed the Good in the Shield was a Bend of Pearls and written thereon the word Allon which is much at one with Allons in French by which some say he meant Let us go all together to the service of God and Defence of our Country He likewise Instituted the Order of the Thistle called also the Order of bourbon Anno 1370. consisting of Twenty six Knights who wore Belts on which were embroidered the word Esperance and a Thistle of Silk and Gold hanging as a Tassel the like word was on their Collar of Gold interwoven with Flower de-Lys's and the Virgin Mary's Picture Crowned with Rays and Stars hanging at it in an Oval with a Thistle-Head at the bottom The Order of St. Mary Magdalen was Instituted Anno 1614. by John Chesnel a Noble French-man Instituted to restrain the French Nobility from Duels and Quarrels and of this Order were usually five hundred Knights who had a House assigned them near Paris and were enjoined to be Charitable Obedient to avoid Quarreling to observe conjugal Chastity c. and had a Great Master over them more of which you may see in the History of Andreus Favine Parisian an Advocate in the Court of Parliament as also of the Order of Bretagne or Hermine and Ears of Corn Instituted by Francis Duke of Bretagne Anno 1450. The Knights of the Bath were Instituted by Henry the Fourth King of England who constituted six and forty of that Order appointed them their Chambers in the Tower and to this day the Order flourishes being conferred as the Favour of the Prince upon worthy Gentlemen of known Loyalty and Integrity The Order of the Thistle or St. Andrew was Instituted in Scotland by King Achaius who made a