or Augustinians, an order of religious, thus called from St Augustine, whose rule they observe. The Augustins, popularly also called Austin friars, were originally hermits, whom Pope Alexander IV. first congregated into one body, under their general Lanfranc, in 1256. Soon after their institution this order was brought into England, where they had about thirty-two houses at the time of their suppression. The Augustins are clothed in black, and make one of the four orders of mendicants.