a religious order of regular canons instituted in 1120 by St Norbert, and thence called Norbertines. The first monastery of this order was built by Norbert in the Isle of France, three leagues to the west of Laon, which he called Premontre; and hence the order itself derived its name, though as to the occasion of the name the writers of the order are divided. At first the religious of this order were so very poor that they had only a single ass, which served to carry the wood they cut down every morning, and was sent to Laon for the bread purchased. But they soon received so many donations, and built so many monasteries, that in 30 years after the foundation of the order, they had above 100 abbeys in France and Germany; and in process of time the order so increased that it had monasteries in all parts of Christendom, amounting to 1000 abbeys, 300 provostships, a vast number of priories, and 500 nunneries; but they are now greatly diminished. The rule they followed was that of St Augustin, with some slight alterations, and an addition of certain severe laws, the authority of which did not long survive their founder. The order was approved by Honorius II. in 1126, and again by several succeeding Popes. At first the abstinence from flesh was rigidly observed. In 1245 Innocent VI. complained of its being neglected to a general chapter. In 1288 their general, William, procured leave of Pope Nicholas IV. for those of the order to eat flesh upon journeys. In 1460 Pius II. granted them a general permission to eat meat, excepting from Septuagesima to Easter. The dress of the religious of this order was white, with a scapulary before the cassock.

The Premontretnenses, or monks of Premontre, vulgarly called white canons, came first into England in the year 1146. Their first monastery, called New-house, was erected in Lincolnshire by Peter de Saulia, and dedicated to St Martial. In the reign of Edward I. this order had 27 monasteries in England, and in Henry VIII.'s time they had 35.