Encyclopædia Britannica, First Edition/Franciscan Monks

FRANCISCAN monks, friars minor, or grey friars, religious of the order of St Francis, founded by him in the year 1709.

The rule of the Franciscans, as established by St Francis himself, is briefly this: they are to live in common, to observe chastity, and to pay obedience to the pope and their superiors.

Before they can be admitted into the order, they are under the obliged to sell all they have, and give it to the poor: they are to perform a year's noviciate, and when admitted never to quit the order upon any account. They are to fast from the feast of All-saints, to the Nativity. This order has produced four popes, forty-two cardinals, and an infinite number of patriarchs.