a religious order so called from their founder Peter de Meuron, afterwards raised to the pontificate under the name of Celestin V. This Peter, who was born at Ifernia, a little town in the kingdom of Naples, in the year 1215, of mean parents, retired, while very young, to a solitary mountain, in order to dedicate himself wholly to prayer and mortification. The fame of his piety brought several, out of curiosity, to see him; some of whom, charmed with his virtues, renounced the world to accompany him in his solitude. With these he formed a kind of community in the year 1254: which was approved by Pope Urban IV. in 1264, and erected into a distinct order, called the *hermits of St Damien*. Peter de Meuron governed this order till 1286, when his love of solitude and retirement induced him to quit the charge. In July 1304, the great reputation of his sanctity raised him, though much against his will, to the pontificate. He then took the name of Celestin V. and his order that of Celestins from him. By his bull he approved their constitutions, and confirmed all their monasteries to the number of 20. But he sat too short time in the chair of St Peter to do many great things for his order; for having governed the church five months... months and a few days, and considering the great burden he had taken upon him, to which he thought himself unequal, he solemnly renounced the pontificate in a confiratory held at Naples.

After his death, which happened in 1296, his order made great progress not only in Italy, but in France likewise: whether the then general Peter of Tivoli sent 12 religious, at the request of King Philip the Fair, who gave them two monasteries; one in the forest of Orleans, and the other in the forest of Compiègne at Mount Chartres. This order likewise palled into several provinces of Germany. They have about 96 convents in Italy, and 21 in France, under the title of priories.

The Celestins rise two hours after midnight to say matins. They eat no flesh at any time, except when they are sick. They fast every Wednesday and Friday, from Easter to the feast of the exaltation of the holy cross; and, from that feast to Easter, every day. As to their habit, it consists of a white gown, a capuche, and a black scapulary. In the choir, and when they go out of the monastery, they wear a black cowl with the capuche: their thirts are of serge.