Concise History of Monks and Monasteries

The aim of this volume is to sketch the history of the monastic institution from its origin to its overthrow in the Reformation period, understandably, although the institution is by no means now extinct, its power was practically broken in the sixteenth century, and no new orders of importance or new types have arisen since that time.
A little reflection will enable one to understand the great difficulties in the execution of so broad a purpose. It was impracticable in the majority of insta...