Political Dictionary

896 Pages·2014·55.28 MB·English

POLITICAL DICTIONARY;

FORMING
A \VORK OF UNIVERSAL REFERENCE,
BOTH
CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL;
AND EMBRACING THE TERMS
OF CIVIL ADMINISTRATION,

OF POLITICAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL RELATIONS,

AND
OF ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT STATISTICAL DBPARTMENTS OF
FINANCE AND COMMERCE.
IN TWO VOLUl\IES.

VOLUME I.

LONDON:

CHARLES KNIGHT AND CO., LUDGATE STREET.

1845.
/0, 3.P/
LOIIDOIT:

Ph:1:TED llY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS,

STA.MFOI\D BT.!'.EET,
ADVERTISEMENT.
I,
THE PoLITICAL DICTIONARY was suggested by the consideration that
the 'Penny Cyclopredia' contains a great number of articles on matters
of Constitution, Political Economy, Trade and Commerce, Adminis­
tration, and Law; and that if these articles were so altered as to make
them applicable to the present time, wherever alteration was necessary,
and new articles were added, wherever there appeared to be a de­
ficiency, a work might be made which would be generally useful.
The citizens of a Free State are or ought to be concerned about
everything Political that may affect their own happiness and the con­
dition of future generations. In a system like our own, which is
founded on ancient institutions and usages, and has now for near eight
centuries been in a course of growth and change, the relations of the
several parts to one another become so complicated that it is difficult
for any one man, however enlarged may be the range of his under­
standing, and however exact his judgment, to form a correct estimate
of the whole of_ this present society' of which he is a part. Such a
knowledge can only be got by a combination of a knowledge of the
past with the know ledge of the present ; in other words, by an historical
exposition of all existing institutions that rest on an ancient foundation,
and by a consideration of their actual condition.
The articles in this work combine both methods. The subjects are
treated historically, whenever such a treatment is required; and they
are also presented in their actual condition, so far as that has been mo­
dified by successive enactments, continued usage, or other circum­
stances.
The mass of matter that is available in Parliamentary Reports and
other printed documents, for such purposes as have been here indicated,
vi ADVERTISEMENT.
is such as no other nation has ever possessed ; as indeed no other has
ever established an Empire that embraces so many remote countries, so
many varied interests. These materials have been used for this work,
so far as the limits of it rendered it possible to use them efficiently.
Some of the articles in this Dictionary have been reprinted from the
' Penny Cyclopoodia' with little or no alteration, and some have been
reprinted with such alterations as were required by the changes that
have taken place within the last ten years. J\Iany articles are entirely
new, and treat of important subjects which have never, so far as we
know, been presented to English readers in the form of a cheap dic­
tionary, or indeed in any other form.
It is perhaps hardly necessary to observe that most of the articles
which are of a legal and historical character apply only to England;
and, in some cases, to England and Ireland. Several articles however
have been inserted in order to explain such of the institutions of Scotland
as are matters of general interest.
LONDON, August 1st, 18-15.
( vii
'
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
ABANDONMENT. Advocates, Faculty of.
Abattoir. Advocation.
Abbey. Advowson.
Abbot. Advowsons, Value of.
Abdication. lEtolian Confederation.
Abduction. Affinity.
Ability; Capacity, Legal. [Age,:Wife.] Affirmation.
Abjuration (of the Realm). Age.
Abjuration (Oath of). Age of Life. [Mortality.]
Aborigines. Agent.
Abortion. [Murder.] Agio.
Abrogation. [Law.] Agiotage.
Absentee. Agnate. [Consanguinity.]
Academy. [University.] Agrarian Laws.
Academies. [Societies.r Agriculture.
Acceptance. [Exchange, Bill of.] Agriculture, Statistics of.
Acceptor. [Exchange, Bill of.] Aide-de-Camp.
Accountant-General. Aids.
Accumulation. [Capital.] Albinatus Jus. [Aubaine.]
Accumulation. Alderman.
Ach:can Confederation. Ale.
Act. Ale-Connor.
Act of Parliament. [Statute.] Ale-Founder. [Ale-Conner.]
Action. [Act.] Alehouses.
Actuary. Ale-Taster. [Ale-Conner.]
Adjudication. Alien.
Adjustment. Alimony.
Adjutant. Allegiance, or Legiance.
Adjutant-General. Alliance. [Treat.Y..l
Administration and Administrator. Alliance, Holy. LHoly Alliance.]
Admiral. Alliance, Triple. [Triple Alliance.]
Admiralty Courts. Allodium, or Alodium.
Admiralty, Droits of. [Droits of Admi­ Allotment System.
ralty.] Alloy. [Coinage; Mint.]
Adoption. Almanac.
Adult Schools. Almoner.
Adulteration. Alms-House.
Adultery. Ambassador.
Adventure, Bill of. Amendment. [Bill in Parliament.]
Advertisement. Amnesty.
Advice. Amphictyons.
Advocate. Anarchy.
Advocate, Lord. , Anatomy Act.
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
Ancient Demesne. fManor.l Assignee.
Anglican Church. EstabliSbed Church Assignment.
of England and Ireland.] Assignment, Scotch Law.
Annals. Assize.
Annates. Assize, Scotland.
Annuity. Associations. [Societies.]
Annuity, Scotch. Assurance.
Annus Deliberandi. Asylum.
Anti-League. [League.] Atheling, or JEtheling.
Apanage. Attachment, Foreign.
Apothecaries, Company of. Attainder.
Apparent Heir. Attaint. (Jury.]
Apparitor. Attorney.
Appeal, Criminal Law. Attorney-General.
Appeal, Civil Law. Aubaine.
Appeal. Auction.
Appraisement. Auctioneer.
Appraisers. Auditor.
Apprentice. Augmentation, Court of.
Apprising. [Adjudication.] Aulic Council.
Appropriation. [ Advowson.] Auxilia. [Aids.]
Approver. Average.
Arbitration. Avocat.
Arbitration, Scotch Law. Avoirdupois. [Weights and Measures.]
Archbishop. [Bishop.] Ayuntamiento, J usticia, Concejo, Cabildo,
Archdeacon. Regimiento.
Arches, Court of.
Archive, or Archives. BACHELOR.
Areopagus, Council of. Bailiff.
Aristocracy. Bailiwick.
Armiger. [Esquire.] Bailliage.
Armorial Bearings. [Heraldry.] Balance of Power.
Army. Balance of Trade.
Armies. [Military Force.] Ballast.
Arraignment. Ballot. [Voting.]
Arrest, Personal. [Insolvent.] Ban.
Arrestment. Banishment.
Arson. (Malicious Injuries.] Bank, in Law.
Articles of War. [Mutiny Act.] Bank, Banker, Banking.
Assent, Royal. Bankrupt.
Assembly, General, of Scotland. [Gene­ Banneret.
ral Assembly.) Banns of Marriage. (Marriage.]
Assembly, National. [States-General.] Bar.
Assembly of Divines. [Westminster As­ Barbarian.
sembly.l Barber-Surgeons.
Assessed Taxes. [Taxes.] Barkers. LAuction.]
Assessor. Baron, Barony.
Assiento Treaty. Baronage.
Assignat. Baronet.
Assignation. [Assignment.] Barrister.
Assignee-of a Bankrupt. [Bankrupt.] Barrister in Scotland. [Advocates, Fa·
Assignee-of an insolvent debtor's estate. culty of.]
[Insolvent.] Barter.
Assignee-of Bill of Lading. [Bill of Bastard.
Lading.] Bath, Knights of the.
TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix
Bawdy-Houses. [Prostitution.] Brief (in Law).
Beacon. Brief, Church.
Beadle. Brief, Papal.
Bed of Justice. Broker.
Bedchamber, Lords of the. Brothel. [Prostitution.].
Jlede-House. Budget.
Beggar. (Mendicity.] Building, Acts for Regulating.
Benefice. Bulletin.
Beneficium. Bullion.
Benefit of Clergy. Bulls, Papal.
Benevolence. Burgage Tenure.
Betrothml!nt. Burgess. fl\Iunicipal Corporations; Com­
Bigamy. mons, House of.]
Bill-Broker. [Broker.] Burgomaster, Burgenneister.
J
Bill·Chamber. Burial. [Interment.
Bill in Chancery. (Equity.] Burne!, Acton, Statute of.
Bill in Parliament. Butter.
Bill of Exchange. _rEx~hange, Bill 0£] By-Law.
Bill of Exchequer. [National Debt.]
Bill of Health. [Quarantine.] CABAL.
Bill of Lading. Cabinet.
Bill of Rights. Cachet, Letters de.
Bill of Sale. Canon.
Bill of Sight. Canon Law.
Bill of Store. Capacity, Legal.' (Age; Insanity; Wife.]
Billon. Capital.
Bills of Mortality• Captain.
.Bishop. Cardinal.
Bishopric.
Carrier.
Black-Mail.
Cash Credit. [Bank, p. 278.]
Black-Rod, Usher of the.
Cathedral.
Blasphemy.
Catholic Church (Roman).
Blockade, Law of.
Caucus.
Board.
Cavalry.
Bona Fides, and Bona Fide.
Cemetery. [Interment.];
Bona Notabilia, [Executor.]
Censor. [Census, Roman.]
Book Trade.
Censorship of the Press. [Press.]
Booty. [Admiralty Courts, p. 29.]
Census, The, at Rome.
Bordarii.
Census.
Borough-English.
Central Criminal Court. [Circuits.]
Borough, Municipal. [Municipal Cor­ Certificate. [Bankrupt, p. 292.]
porations.J Certiorari.
&rough, Parliamentary. [Parliament.] Cessio Bonorum.
Bottomry, Bottomree, or Bummaree. Cession. fBenefice, p. 349.]
Bounty. Cestui que Trust. [Trustee.J '
Bounty, Queen Anne's. [Benefice, pp. Challenge. (Jury.]
343, 345.J Chamberlain.
Bread. [Adulteration; Assize.] Chancel.
Brevet. Chancellor.
Br~wer. [Alehouses, p. 99; Adultera­ Chancellor of Scotland.
tion, p. 36.)
Chancery.
Bribery.
Chancery, Inns of. [Inn.]
Brick.
Chantry.
Bridewell.
Chapel.
Bridges.
Chaplain.