or begging friars, several orders of religious in Popish countries, who having no settled revenues, are supported by the charitable contributions they receive from others.

This sort of friars began in the 13th century. The Waldenses, who made profession of renouncing their estates, and leading a life of poverty, gave occasion to this institution. Two of that sect, Bernard and Durand of Osca, set up a congregation in the province of Tarragon, and called it The Poor Catholics. The same year, Dominick de Guzman, with nine more of his companions, founded the order of Preaching Friars, called from their founder Dominicans. The other three Mendicant orders are, the Franciscans, Augustinians, and Carmelites.

"A great many have embraced this severe order," says Puffendorf, "out of an opinion of a particular holiness and merit which they believed did belong to it, or rather an ecclesiastic ambition; the pride of mankind being so great and natural to some, that they did not think the commands of God sufficient, but would receive heaven rather as a desert than a gift, and were ambitious of having a preference before others even in another life."

Buchanan tells us, the Mendicants in Scotland, under an appearance of beggary, lived a very luxurious life; whence one wittily called them, not Mendicant, but Manducant, friars.