Gilbertines, an English religious order, so called from the founder, St. Gilbert of Sem-pringham(bornin 1083, diedFeb.4,1189). They were also called the Order of Sempringham." Gilbert, who was by birth lord of Sempringham and Tirington, had become as a priest pastor of both places, He first built a convent near the church of St. Andrew for seven poor maidens, which became so flourishing that he was called upon to establish several others in various parts of the kingdom. Having in vain endeavored to unite these houses to the order of Citeaux, Gilbert built a monastery of canons regular near each convent, gave to the canons the rule of St. Augustine, to the nuns that of St. Benedict, and placed the lay brethren who served them under the rule of Citeaux. This order with its constitutions was approved by Eugenius III., and confirmed by his successors. It numbered at the founder's death 13 double convents, besides hospitals for the sick and asylums for widows, orphans, and the poor, with 800 monks and upward of 1,200 nuns. The Gilbertines were confined to England. Sempringham afforded an asylum to Thomas a Becket during his quarrel with Henry II. At the suppression of monasteries under Henry VIII. the order possessed 21 houses and 11 double convents.

The Gilbertine rule is given in full by Holstenius. See also Hurter, Ge-schichte des Papstes Innoccnz III. und seiner Zeitgenossen.