of the Druids, in his Posthu

mous

Works,
vol. i.
p. 161.

+ Diod Sic. lib. ii. iii.

Abaris, Himerius the sophist applauds him for speaking pure Abarticula- Greek; which attainment will be no matter of wontion der to such as consider the ancient intercourse there was between the Greeks and Hyperboreans.If the Hebrides, or Western islands of Scotland, (says Mr * Account Toland *), were the Hyperboreans of Diodorus +, then the celebrated Abaris was of that country; and likewise a druid, having been the priest of Apollo. Suidas, who knew not the distinction of the insular Hyperboreans, makes him a Scythian; as do some others, misled by the same vulgar error; though Diodorus has truly fixed his country in an island, and not on the continent. Indeed the fictions and mistakes -concerning our Abaris are infinite: however, it is agreed by all that he travelled quite over Greece, and from thence into Italy, where he conversed familiarly with Pythagoras, who favoured him beyond all his disciples, by instructing him in his doctrines (especially his thoughts of nature) in a plainer and more compendious method than he did any other. This distinction could not but be very advantageous to Abaris. The Hyperborean, in return, presented the Samian, as though he equalled Apollo himself in wisdom, with the sacred arrow, on which the Greeks have fabulousJamblichi ly related that he sat astride, and flew upon it, Vita Py through the air, over rivers and lakes, forests and thag. mountains; in like manner as our vulgar still believe, P. 128. particularly those of the Hebrides, that wizards and witches fly whithersoever they please on their broomsticks. The orator Himerius above mentioned, though one of those who, from the equivocal sense of the word Hyperborean, seem to have mistaken Abaris for a Scythian, yet describes his person accurately, and gives him a very noble character. "They relate (says he) "that Abaris the sage was by nation a Hyperborean, appeared a Grecian in speech, and resembled a Scy"thian in his habit and appearance. He came to "Athens, holding a bow in his hand, having a quiver hanging on his shoulders, his body wrapt up in a plaid, girt about the loins with a gilded belt, and wearing trowsers reaching from his waist down"ward." By this it is evident (continues Mr Toland) that he was not habited like the Scythians, who were always covered with skins; but appeared in the native garb of an aboriginal Scot. As to what relates to his abilities, Himerius informs us, that "he was "affable and pleasant in conversation, in dispatching great affairs secret and industrious, quick-sighted in present exigencies, in preventing future dangers circumspect, a searcher after wisdom, desirous of "friendship, trusting little to fortune, and having every thing trusted to him for his prudence." Neither the Academy nor the Lyceum could have furnished a man with fitter qualities to travel so far abroad, and to such wise nations, about affairs no less arduous than important. And if we further attentively consider his moderation in eating, drinking, and the use of all those things which our natural appetites incessantly crave; joining the candour and simplicity of his manners with the solidity and wisdom of his answers; all which we find sufficiently attested; it must be owned that the world at that time had few to compare with Abaris.

66

66

66

66

ABARTICULATION, in Anatomy, a species of articulation, admitting of a manifest motion; called al

tion

so Diarthrosis, and Dearticulatio, to distinguish it Abarticals from that sort of articulation which admits of a very obscure motion, and is called Synarthrosis. ABAS, a weight used in Persia for weighing pearls. It is one-eighth less than the European carat.

ABAS, in heathen mythology, was the son of Hypothoon and Meganira, who entertained Ceres, and offered a sacrifice to that goddess; but Abas ridiculing the ceremony, and giving her opprobrious language, she sprinkled him with a certain mixture she held in her cup, on which he became a newt or water lizard.

ABAS, Schah, the Great, was third son of Codabendi, 7th king of Persia of the race of the Sophis. Succeeding to his father in 1585, at the age of 18, he found the affairs of Persia at a low ebb, occasioned by the conquests of the Turks and Tartars. He regained several of the provinces they had seized; but death put a stop to his victories in 1629, after a reign of 44 years. He was the greatest prince who had reigned in Persia for many ages; and it was he who made Ispahan the metropolis of Persia. His memory is held in the highest veneration among the Persians.

ABAS, Schah, his grandson, 9th king of Persia of the race of the Sophis, succeeded his father Sesi at 13 years of age. He was but 18 when he made himself master of the city of Candahar, which had surrendered in his father's reign to the great Mogul, and all the province about it; and he preserved it afterwards against this Indian emperor, though he besieged it more than once with an army of 300,000 men. He was a very merciful prince, and openly protected the Christians. He had formed a design of extending the limits of his kingdom toward the north, and had for that effect levied a powerful army; but death put a stop to all his great designs, at 37 years of age, A. D. 1666.

ABASCIA, or ABCASSIA, the northern district of the western division of Georgia in Asia, situated on the coast of the Black sea, and tributary to the Turks. The inhabitants are poor, thievish, and treacherous, so that there is no trading with them without the ntmost caution. They trade in furs, buck and tyger skins, linen yarn, boxwood, and bees wax: but their principal traffic consists in the sale of their own children to the Turks, and to one another. They are destitute of many necessaries of life, and have nothing among them that can be called a town; though we find Anacopia, Dandar, and Czekorni, mentioned in the maps. They have the name of Christians; but have nothing left but the name, any more than the Mingrelians their northern neighbours. The men are robust and active, and the women are fair and beautiful; on which ac. count the Turks have a great value for the female slaves which they purchase from among them. Their customs are much the same as those of the MINGRELIANS; which see. E. Long. from 39° to 43°. N. Lat. from 43° to 45°.

ABASCUS, a river of Asiatic Sarmatia, which, rising from Mount Caucasus, falls into the Euxine, between Pityus to the east, and Nosis to the west.

ABASITIS, in Ancient Geography, a tract of Asiatic Mysia, in which was situated the city of Ancyra.

ABASSA, THE GREATER and THE SMALLER, two districts in the vicinity of the Caucasian mountains. The latter, according to Pallas, is inhabited by six tribes who were formerly Christians, but the nobles now pro

fess

Abassa.

Abassa fess the Mahometan religion. In manners, dress, mode of life, and, in some degree, in language, they resemble Abatis. the Circassians. They practise agriculture, but chiefly depend on pasturage for their subsistence. They are celebrated for a fine breed of large horses. They are frequently harassed and plundered by the Circassian princes.

ABASSI, or ABASSIS, a silver coin current in Persia, equivalent in value to a French livre, or tenpence halfpenny sterling. It took its name from Schah Abbas II. king of Persia, under whom it was struck.

ABASSUS, in Ancient Geography, a town of the Greater Phrygia, on the confines of the Tolistobagii, a people of Galatia in Asia.

ABATAMENTUM, in Law, is an entry to lands by interposition, i. e. when a person dies seized, and another who has no right enters before the heir.

To ABATE, (from the French abattre, to pull down, overthrow, demolish, batter down, or destroy), a term used by the writers of the English common law both in an active and neutral sense; as, To abate a castle, is to beat it down. To abate a writ, is, by some exception, to defeat or overthrow it. A stranger abateth; that is, entereth upon a house or land void by the death of him that last possessed it, before the heir takes possession, and so keepeth him out: wherefore, as he that putteth out him in possession is said to disseize, so he that steppeth in between the former possessor and his heir is said to abate. In the neuter signification thus ; The writ of the demandant shall abate; that is, shall be disabled, frustrated, or overthrown. The appeal abateth by covin; that is, the accusation is defeated by deceit.

ABATE, in the manege, implies the performing any downward motion properly. Thus a horse is said to abate or take down his curvets, when he puts both his hind legs to the ground at once, and observes the same exactness in all the times.

ABATELMENT, in commerce, a term used for a prohibition of trade to all French merchants in the ports of the Levant who will not stand to their bargains, or refuse to pay their debts. It is a sentence of the French consul, which must be taken off before they can sue any person for the payment of their debts.

ABATEMENT, in Heraldry, an accidental figure supposed to have been added to coats of arms, in order to denote some dishonourable demeanour or stain, whereby the dignity of coat armour was rendered of less esteem. See HERALDRY.

ABATEMENT, in Law. See To ABATE.

ABATEMENT, in the customs, an allowance made upon the duty of goods, when the quantum damaged is determined by the judgment of two merchants upon oath, and ascertained by a certificate from the surveyor and land waiter.

ABATIS, an ancient term for an officer of the stables.

ABATIS, or ABATTIS, in military affairs, a kind of retrenchment made of felled trees. In sudden emergencies, the trees are merely laid lengthwise beside each other, with the branches pointed outwards to prevent the approach of the enemy, while the trunks serve as a breast work to the defendants. When the abatis is employed for the defence of a pass or entrance, the boughs of the trees are stripped of their leaves and

pointed, the trunks are planted in the ground, and the Abatis branches interwoven with each other.

ABATON, a building at Rhodes, erected as a Abauzit. fence to the trophy of Artemisia, queen of Halicarnassus, Coos, &c. raised in memory of her victory over the Rhodians; or rather to conceal the disgrace of the Rhodians from the eyes of the world: for to efface or destroy the trophy was with them a point of religion.

ABATOR, in Law, a term applied to a person who enters to a house or lands void by the death of the last possessor, before the true heir.

ABATOS, in Ancient Geography, an island in the lake Moeris, formerly famous for its papyrus. It was the burial place of Osiris.

ABAUZIT, FIRMIN, a learned Frenchman, was born at Usez, in Languedoc, in November 1679. His father died when he was but two years of age. In consequence of the revocation of the edict of Nantz, in the time of Louis XIV. to avoid the rigours of persecution to which the Protestants of France were exposed, young Abauzit's mother, who was a Protestant, not without difficulty, escaped with her son to Geneva, where he remained secure from danger, and enjoyed the benefit of education. From his 10th to his 19th year, his time was wholly devoted to literature; and having made great progress in languages, he studied mathematics, physics and theology. In the year 1698, he travelled into Holland, where he became acquainted with the learned Bayle, with Basnage and Jurieu. Thence he passed over to England, and was introduced to Sir Isaac Newton, who entertained a very high opinion of his merit. For this philosopher afterwards sent him his Commercium Epistolicum, accompanied with a very honourable testimony. "You are well worthy, says Newton, to judge between Leibnitz and me.' The reputation of Abauzit reached the ears of King William, who encouraged him by a very handsome offer to settle in England; which he declined, and returned to Geneva. In 1715 he entered into the society formed for the purpose of translating the New Testament into the French language, and contributed valuable assistance to this work. The chair of philosophy in the university was offered to him by that body in 1723, which he refused on account of his health and diffidence of his talents. But in 1727 he accepted of the office of librarian to the city, the duties of which were neither burdensome, nor subjected him to any particular restraint.

Abauzit, who was deeply conversant in physical and mathematical knowledge, was one of the first who em-braced the grand truths which the sublime discoveries of Newton exhibited to the world. He defended the doctrines of that philosopher against Father Castel; and discovered an error in the Principia, which was corrected by Newton in the second edition of his work. He was a perfect master of many languages; he understood history so exactly, that he remembered the names of the principal characters and the dates of the events; his knowledge of physics was deep and extensive, and he was well acquainted with medals and ancient manuscripts. The different sciences which he had studied, were so well digested and arranged in bis retentive mind, that he could at once bring together all that he ever knew on any subject. A remarkable instance of this occurred in a conversation with

Rousseau

1}

Abauzit Rousseau on the music of the ancients, while the latter was employed in compiling his Dictionary of Music. Abba. He had been at great pains in giving an accurate account of ancient music. But how much was be surprised to find that Abauzit could give him a full and clear history of all that he had with much labour collected; and the more so, when he was informed that 30 years had elapsed since his inquiries led him to consider that subject. It was probably in consequence of this incident that Rousseau addressed to Abauzit one of the finest panegyrics which he ever wrote.

A very fine compliment is said to have been paid to Abauzit by Voltaire. A stranger having addressed the poet in a flattering manner, by saying he had come to Geneva to see a great man, Voltaire asked him,

whether he had seen Abauzit ?

This excellent man having enjoyed that otium cum dignitate, so much talked of, and so eagerly sought af ter, but rarely obtained, having thus lived universally respected to the great age of 87 years, died in the year 1787, lamented by the republic, and regretted by the learned.

Abauzit was a sincere Christian; his piety was pure and unaffected; his benevolence was extensive. Liberal in his opinions, he was indulgent and forbearing to those whose sentiments and opinions were different from his own. Simple and easy in his manners, every thing about him, his house, his person, and his way of life, discovered a strong aversion to show and luxury. He carefully avoided the officious observances of ceremony, and anxiously withdrew from the fulsome praise of flattery. His conversation, free from pedantry and ostentation, instructive and entertaining, was always heard with eagerness, and listened to with attention.

The writings which Abauzit left behind him are chiefly on religious subjects. He wrote an "Essay on the Apocalypse," in which he endeavoured to show, that the predictions in that book were to be applied to the destruction of Jerusalem. This work was translated into English; to which a refutation was added, which satisfied Abauzit so much that he was mistaken in his views, that he ordered an edition then ready for publication in Holland to be stopped. His other works are, "Reflections on the Eucharist; On Idolatry; On the Mysteries of Religion; Paraphrases and Explanations of sundry parts of Scripture; Several Critical and Antiquarian Pieces; and various Letters."

ABAVO, in Botany, a synonyme of the ADANSONIA. ABB, a term among clothiers applied to the yarn of a weaver's warp. They say also Abb-wool in the

same sense.

ABBA, in Ancient Geography, a town of Africa Propria, near Carthage.

ABBA, in the Syriac and Chaldee languages, literally signifies a father; and figuratively, a superior, reputed as a father in respect of age, dignity, or affection. It is more particularly used in the Syriac, - Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, as a title given to the bishops. The bishops themselves bestow the title of Abba more eminently on the bishop of Alexandria ; which occasioned the people to give him the title of Baba, or Papa, that is Grandfather; a title which he bore before the bishop of Rome. It is a Jewish title of honour given to certain rabbins called Tanaites: and it is also particularly used, by some writers of the middle

ABBADIE, JAMES, an eminent Protestant divine, Abbassides. born at Nay in Bern in 1654; first educated there under the famous John la Placette, and afterwards at the university of Sedan. From whence he went into Holland and Germany, and was minister in the French church of Berlin. He left that place in 1690; came into England; was some time minister in the French church in the Savoy, London; and was made dean of Killalo in Ireland. He was strongly attached to the cause of King William, as appears in his elaborate defence of the Revolution, and his history of the assassination-plot. He had great natural abilities, which he improved by true and useful learning. He was a most zealous defender of the primitive doctrine of the Protestants, as appears by his writings; and that strong nervous eloquence for which he was so remarkable, enabled him to enforce the doctrines of his profession from the pulpit with great spirit and energy. He possessed uncommon powers of memory. It is said that he composed his works without committing any part to writing, till they were wanted for the press. He died in London in 1727, after his return from a tour in Holland. He published several works in French that were much esteemed; the principal of which are, A Treatise on the Truth of the Christian religion; The Art of Knowing one's Self; A Defence of the British Nation; the Deity of Jesus Christ essential to the Christian Religion; The History of the last Conspiracy in England, written by order of King William III.; and The Triumph of Providence and Religion, or the opening the Seven Seals by the Son of God.

ABBAS, son of Abdalmotalleb, and Mahomet's uncle, opposed his nephew with all his power, regarding him as an impostor and traitor to his country; but in the second year of the Hegira, being overcome and made a prisoner at the battle of Beder in 623, a great ransom being demanded for him, he represented to Mahomet, that his paying it would reduce him to beggary, which would bring dishonour on the family. Mahomet, who knew that he had concealed large sums of money, said to him, "Where are the purses of gold that you gave your mother to keep when you left Mecca? Abbas, who thought this transaction secret, was much surprised, and conceiving that his nephew was really a prophet, embraced his religion. He became one of his principal captains; and saved his life when in imminent danger at the battle of Honain, against the Thakefites, soon after the reduction of Mecca. But besides being a great commander, Abbas was one of the first doctors of Islamism, the whole of whose science consisted in being able to repeat and explain the Koran, and to preserve in their memory certain apocryphal histories. He is said to have read lectures on every chapter of the Koran, as his nephew pretended to receive them from heaven. He died in 652, and his memory is held in the highest veneration among the Mussulmans to this day.

Abul-ABBAS, surnamed Saffuh, one of his grandsons, was proclaimed caliph a century after his death; and in him began the dynasty of the

ABBASSIDES, who possessed the caliphat for 524 years. There were 37 caliphs of this race who succeeded one another without interruption. ABBE',

Abbé

ABBE', in a monastic sense, the same with ABBOT. ABBE', in a modern sense, the denomination of a Abbey. class of persons which has been popular in France. They were not in orders; but having received the ceremony of tonsure, were entitled to enjoy certain privileges in the church. The dress of abbés was that of academics or professed scholars. In colleges they were the instructors of youth, and were employed as tutors in private families. Many of them have risen to a distinguished rank in the state, while others have been no less eminent in science and literature.

ABBESS, the superior of an abbey or convent of anns. The abbess has the same rights and authority over her nuns that the abbots regular have over their monks. The sex indeed does not allow her to perform the spiritual functions annexed to the priesthood, with which the abbot is usually invested; but there are instances of some abbesses who have a right, or rather a privilege, to commission a priest to act for them. They have even a kind of episcopal jurisdiction, as well as some abbots who are exempted from the visitation of their diocesans.

Martene, in his treatise on the rights of the church, observes, that some abbesses have formerly confessed their nuns. But he adds, that their excessive curiosity carried them such lengths, that there arose a necessity of checking it. However, St Basil, in his Rule, allows the abbess to be present with the priest at the confession of her nuns.

ABBEVILLE, a considerable city of France, in the department of the Somme. The river Somme divides it into two parts. It has a collegiate church and twelve parish churches, the most considerable of which are St George's and St Giles's; and it is the seat of two tribunals. It is a fortified town; the walls are flanked with bastions, and surrounded by large ditches. Never having been taken, from this circumstance it is sometimes called the Maiden Town; and hence too its motto, Semper fidelis. The number of the inhabitants in 1800 amounted to 18,052. The situation in the midst of a fertile valley is pleasant and healthy. It is famous for its woollen manufactory, established in 1665 under the auspices of Colbert. The stuffs manufactured here are said to equal in fabric and quality the finest in Europe. There is also a manufactory of fire arms, and a considerable trade in grain, lint, and hemp. It is about 11 miles east of the British channel, and ships may come from thence by the river Somme to the middle of the town. E. Long. 1. 50. N. Lat. 50. 7.

ABBEY, a monastery, or religious house, governed by a superior under the title of abbot or abbess.

Abbeys differ only from priories, that the former are under the direction of an abbot, and the others of a prior; for abbot and prior (we mean a prior conventual) are much the same thing, differing in little but the name. Fauchet observes, that, in the early days of the French monarchy, dukes and counts were called abbots, and duchies and counties abbeys. Even some of their kings are mentioned in history under the title of abbots. Philip I. Louis VI. and afterwards the duke of Orleans, are called abbots of the monastery of St Aignan. The dukes of Aquitain were called abbots of the monastery of St Hilary at Poictiers; and the earls of Anjou, of St Aubin, &c.

VOL. I. Part I.

Monasteries were at first established as religious houses, to which persons retired from the bustle of the world to spend their time in solitude and devotion. But they soon degenerated from their original institution, and obtained large privileges, exemptions, and riches. They prevailed greatly in Britain before the Reformation, particularly in England; and as they increased in riches, so the state became poor: for the lands which these regulars possessed were in mortua manu, i. e. could never revert to the lords who gave them. This inconvenience gave rise to the statutes against gifts in mortmaine, which prohibited donations to these religious houses; and Lord Coke tells us, that several lords, at their creation, had a clause in their grant, that the donor might give or sell his land to whom he would, (exceptis viris religiosis et Judæis) excepting monks and Jews.

These places were wholly abolished in England at the time of the Reformation; Henry VIII. having first appointed visitors to inquire into the lives of the monks and nuns, which were found in some places to be extremely irregular, the abbots, perceiving their dissolution unavoidable, were induced to resign their houses to the king, who by that means became invested with the abbey lands: these were afterwards granted to different persons, whose descendants enjoy them at this day they were then valued at 2,853,000l. per annum, an imme e sum in those days.

Though the suppression of religious houses, even considered in a political light only, was a great national benefit, it must be owned, that at the time they flourished, they were not entirely useless. Abbeys or monasteries were then the repositories, as well as the seminaries, of learning; many valuable books and national records, as well as private history, having been preserved in their libraries, the only places in which they could have been safely lodged in those turbulent times. Many of those, which had escaped the ravages of the Danes, were destroyed with more than Gothic barbarity at the dissolution of the abbeys. These ravages are pathetically lamented by John Bale, in his declaration upon Leland's Journal 1549.. "Covetousness," says he,

was at that time so busy about private commodity, that public wealth, in that most necessary and of respect, was not anywhere regarded. A number of them which purchased these superstitious mansions, reserved of the library books, some to serve their jakes, some to scour the candlesticks, and some to rub their boots; some they sold to the grocer and soapseller; and some they sent over sea to the bookbinders, not in small numbers, but in whole ships full; yea, the universities of this realm are not clear of so detestable a fact. I know a merchant that bought the contents of two noble libraries for 40s. price; a shame it is to be spoken! This stuff hath he occupied instead of gray paper, by the space of more than these ten years, and yet he hath store enough for as many years to come. I shall judge this to be true, and utter it with heaviness, that neither the Britons under the Romans and Saxons, nor yet the English people under the Danes and Normans, had ever such damage of their learned monuments as we have seen in our time."

In these days every abbey had at least one person whose office it was to instruct youth; and the historians of this country are chiefly beholden to the monks B

for

Abbey Abbot.

for the knowledge they have of former national events. In these houses also the arts of painting, architecture, and printing, were cultivated. They were hospitals for for the sick and poor, and afforded entertainment to travellers at a time when there were no inns. In them the nobility and gentry who were heirs to their founders could provide for a certain number of ancient and faithful servants, by procuring them corodies, or stated allowances of meat, drink, and clothes. They were likewise an asylum for aged and indigent persons of good family. The neighbouring places were also greatly benefited by the fairs procured for them, and by their exemption from forest laws; add to which, that the monastic estates were generally let at very easy rents, the fines given at renewals included.

ABBEYBOYLE, a town of Ireland, in the county of Roscommon, and province of Connaught. W. Long. 8. 32. N. Lat. 53. 54. It is remarkable for an old

abbey.

ABBEYHOLM, a town in Cumberland, so called from an abbey built there by David king of Scots. It stands on an arm of the sea. W. Long. 3. 18. N. Lat. 54.51.

ABBOT, or ABBAT, the superior of a monastery of monks erected into an abbey or priory.

The name Abbot is originally Hebrew, where it signifies father. The Jews call father, in their language, Ab; whence the Chaldeans and Syrians formed Abba; thence the Greeks Abbas, which the Latins retained; and hence our Abbot, the French Abbé, &c. St Mark and St Paul use the Syriac Abba in their Greek, by reason it was then commonly known in the synagogues and the primitive assemblies of the Christians; adding to it, by way of interpretation, the word father, A. i "Abba, father;" q. d. Abba, that is to say, πατης, Father. But the name Ab, or Abba, which at first was a term of tenderness and affection in the Hebrew and Chaldee, became at length a title of dignity and honour: The Jewish doctors affected it; and one of their most ancient books, containing the sayings or apophthegms of divers of them, is entitled Pirke Abboth or Avoth; i. e. Chapters of the Fathers. It was in allusion to this affectation, that Jesus Christ forbade his disciples to call any man their father on earth; which word St Jerome turns against the superiors of the monasteries of his time, for assuming the titles of Abbots, or Fathers.

The name Abbot, then, appears as old as the institution of monks itself, The governors of the primitive monasteries assumed indifferently the titles Abbots, and *See Monk Archimandrites*. They were really distinguished They were really distinguished and Archi- from the clergy; though frequently confounded with them, because a degree above laymen.

mandrite.

In those early days, the abbots were subject to the bishops and the ordinary pastors. Their monasteries being remote from cities, built in the farthest solitudes, they had no share in ecclesiastical affairs. They went on Sundays to the parish church with the rest of the people; or, if they were too remote, a priest was sent them to administer the sacraments; till at length they were allowed to have priests of their own body. The abbot or archimandrite himself was usually the priest but his function extended no farther than to the spiritual assistance of his monastery; aud he remained still in obedience to the bishop. There being among the

abbots several persons of learning, they made a vigo Abbot, rous opposition to the rising heresies of those times; which first occasioned the bishops to call them out of their deserts, and fix them about the suburbs of cities, and at length in the cities themselves; from which era their degeneracy is to be dated. Then the abbots threw off their former plainness and simplicity, assumed the rank of prelates, aspired at being independent of the bishops, and grasped at so much power, that severe laws were made against them at the council of Chalcedon. Many of them, however, carried the point of independency, obtained the appellation of lord, and were distinguished by other badges of the episcopate, particularly the mitre.

Hence arose new distinctions between the abbots. Those were termed mitred abbots, who were privileged to wear the mitre, and exercise episcopal authority within their respective precincts, being exempted from the jurisdiction of the bishop. Others were called crosiered abbots, from their bearing the crosier or pastoral staff. Others were styled ecumenical or universal abbots, in imitation of the patriarch of Constantinople: while others were termed cardinal abbots, from their superiority over all other abbots. In Britain, the mitred abbots were lords of parliament ; and called abbots-sovereign, and abbots-general, to distinguish them. from the other abbots. And as there were lords-abbots, so there were also lords-priors, who had exempt jurisdiction, and were likewise lords of parliament. Some reckon 26 of these lords abbots and priors who sat in parliament. Sir Edward Coke says, that there were 27 parliamentary abbots and two priors. In the parliament 20 Rich. II. there were but 25 abbots and two priors: but in the summons to parliament anno Ed. III. mere are named.

In Roman Catholic countries, the principal distinctions observed between abbots are those of regular and commendatory. The former take the vow and wear the habit of their order; whereas the latter are seculars who have received tonsure, but are obliged by their bulls to take orders when of proper age.

Anciently the ceremony of creating an abbot consisted in clothing him with the habit called cuculus, or cowl; putting the pastoral staff into his hand, and the shoes called pedales on his feet: but at present, it is only a simple benediction, improperly called, by some,

consecration.

ABBOT is also a title given to others beside the superiors of monasteries: thus bishops whose sees were formerly abbeys, are called abbots. Among the Genoese, the chief magistrate of the republic formerly bore the title of abbot of the people. It was likewise usual, about the time of Charlemagne, for several lords to assume the title of count-abbots, abba-comites; because the superintendency of certain abbeys was committed to them.

ABBOT, George, archbishop of Canterbury, was born October 29. 1562, at Guildford in Surrey. He was the son of Maurice Abbot a cloth-worker. He studied at Oxford, and in 1597 was chosen principal of University college. In 1599, he was installed dean. of Winchester: the year following, he was chosen vicechancellor of the university of Oxford, and a second time in 1603. In 1604, the translation of the Bible now in use was begun by the direction of King James :