MENDICANTS

or BEGGING FRIARS. There are several orders of monks or friars, in Popish countries, who, having no income or revenues, are supported by the charitable contributions of others. These, from their manner of life, are called Mendicants. This sort of friars began in the thirteenth century, when Dominic de Guzman, with nine more of his companions, founded the order of Preaching Friars , called from their founder Do mini cans . The other three Mendicant orders are, the Francis cans , Aug us tines , and Carmelites . These monks gave great disturbance to the secular clergy, by pretending to a right of taking confe ions and granting absolution, without asking leave of the parochial priests, or even the bishops themselves. Pope Innocent IV. restrained this licence, and prohibited the Mendicants to confe the faithful without leave of the curé. Alexander IV. restored this privilege to them. And Martin IV., to accommodate the dispute, granted them a permi ion to receive confe ions, upon condition that the penitents, who applied to them, should confe once a year to their proper pastor. However, this expedient falling short of full satisfaction, Boniface VIII. ordered that the superiors of religious houses should make application to the bishops, for their permi ion to such friars as should be commi ioned by their respective abbots to administer the sacrament of penance. And upon the foot of this constitution the matter now rests.