ABBOT, the superior of an abbey of monks, and next in dignity to a bishop. This appellation, signify ing father, is derived from the Hebrew, and was an ciently applied to all monks. The rulers of the early monasteries assumed the title of Abbot, or Archiman drite. Some of the ancient French peers, and even several of their sovereigns, are mentioned in history under the denomination of Abbots ; probably from en joying particular possessions, similar to the ecclesias tical principalities of modern times.
Anciently, abbots were subject to the bishops, or or dinary pastors, and took no share in ecclesiastical af fairs, because their dwellings were in remote places. But their manners soon changed : They gradually be gan to usurp power; they aspired to the rank of pre lates, and aimed at independence of the bishops, in which many of them succeeded.
Abbots, intitled to wear the episcopal badges, such as the mitre or ring, or exercise episcopal authority, were denominated mitred abbots. Others, from bearing the pastoral stall only, were called crosiered abbots ; others, ecumenical abbots ; and some, from their supe riority over all others, were styled cardinal abbots. In the Roman Catholic countries, regular abbots are those who take the vows and wear the habit of the order : commendatory abbots, on the other hand are seculars, who have received tonsure, but must take orders at a certain age.
In Britain, the abbot was an ecclesiastic of great power and dignity : When visiting a monastery, he was received by a procession of monks ; and he could confine those of his own monastery in a strong prison, called the " lying house," appropriated for great of fenders. Monks, after having been beaten even to a plentiful effusion of blood, have by his order been con fined in that dungeon.
Much ceremony was used at the election and bene diction of an abbot, and gorgeous feasts were given at their installation. Their public dress was the Dalmatic or seamless coat of Christ, the mitre, crosier, gloves, ring, and sandals ; and those in parliament wore an elegant robe. At an abbot's decease, his seals were broken on one of the steps before the great altar. He lay in the middle of the choir, arrayed in his pontifi cals, until the third day ; and was then buried in this attire, bearing his crosier in his hand. See Helvot Histoire des. Ordres fllonastiques. Martene de ..,intiguis Ecclesix Ritibus. Dugdale .11Ionasticon Fosbrooke's English illonachism. Hume's Hi8t. vol. iv. p. 184, 186, 207. (c)