S82 PROGRESS OF MONACHISM. 



foundation of Pachomius, implying a houfe devoted to 

 piety, or a connection made between feveral houfes for 

 that purpofe, where feveral perfons may take up their 

 abode/ and live together in common, obferving the 

 fame rule, and in dependance on one fuperior. 



Pachomius, alas, is therefore the primitive founder 

 and father of all congregations and all orders of monks. 

 God forgive him ! iince It is notorious that the monks 

 ever lince have been the greater! apoftles of fuperfti- 

 tion, ana thus been grateful to the parent from whence 

 they fprung. Before him and after him, no difiincl 

 rnonaftery of one order, of one rule, and under the 

 guidance of one fole abbot, has ever been feen in the 

 cart ; but all the weft took the thought from him. Pa- 

 chomius founded eight fuch cloiflers, belide that of 

 Tabenna, in the de farts of Thebais ; and four were 

 fhortly after added to the number. 



His monks were, for the moffc part, a parcel of The- 

 baic peafants; in general flout and furly fellows. Pa- 

 chomius governed this ruftic crew by a proportionable 

 degree of furlinefs. The novices were obliged to carl: 

 tliemfelves down before the feet of every monk they 

 met ; and the monks returned the compliment with all 

 kinds of infult and booriih falutation, in order to inure 

 the novices to humility and patience. After this novi- 

 ciate they received the habit. They mull all learn to 

 read ; young monks were occaiionally flogged. 



All the monks of Tabenna wore Inirts of coarfe li- 

 nen, without lleeves, which came down no lower than 

 the knee, and a girdle about the loins. Over this 



7 o 



iliirt hung a cloke made of tanned goatlkin, reaching • 

 in like manner only to the top of the leg behind. On 

 the head they wore a hood, which like wife fell upon 



the 



