Centurion or pilani, so called from their weapon the pilum, being esteemed the most honourable, had their centurions Century. elected first, next to them the principes, and afterwards the hastati; whence they were called primus et secundus pilus, primus et secundus princeps, primus et secundus hastatus; and so on. Here it may be observed, that primi ordines is sometimes used in historians for the centurions of these orders; and the centurions are sometimes styled principes ordinum, and principes centurionum. We may take notice too what a large field there lay for promotion: first through all the orders of the hastati; then quite through the principes; and afterwards from the last order of the triarii to the primipilus, the most honourable of the centurions, and who deserves to be particularly described. This officer, besides his title of primipilus, went under the several titles of dux legionis, præfectus legionis, primus centurionum, and primus centurio: and was the first centurion of the triarii in every legion. He presided over all the other centurions, and generally gave the word of command by order of the tribunes. Besides this, he had the care of the eagle or chief standard of the legion: hence, aquilæ præesse is to bear the dignity of primipilus; and hence aquila is taken by Pliny for the said office. Nor was this station only honourable, but very profitable too: for he had a special stipend allowed him, probably as much as a knight's estate; and, when he left that charge, was reputed equal to the members of the equestrian order, bearing the title of primipilarius, in the same manner as those who had discharged the greatest civil offices were styled ever after, consulares, censorii, &c. CENTURIPE, CENTORIPA, or CENTURIPE, in Ancient Geography, a town in the south-west of the territory of Etna, on the river Cyamasorus: Now Centorbi or Centurippi. It was a democratical city, which, like Syracuse, received its liberty from Timoleon. Its inhabitants cultivated the fine arts, particularly sculpture and engraving. In digging for the remains of antiquities, cameos are nowhere found in such abundance as at Centurippi and its environs. The situation of the place is romantic: it is built on the summit of a vast group of rocks, which was probably chosen as the most difficult of access, and consequently the properest in times of civil commotion. The remains still existing of its ancient bridges are a proof of its having been a considerable city. Cicero speaks of it as such. It was taken by the Romans, plundered and oppressed by Verres, destroyed by Pompey, and restored by Octavius, who made it the residence of a Roman colony. CENTURY, in a general sense, any thing divided into, or consisting of, a hundred parts. The marquis of Worcester published a Century of inventions, (for a specimen of which, see ACOUSTICS,) and Dr Hooke has given a decimate of inventions, as part of a Century, of which he affirmed himself master. It is remarkable, that both in the century of the former, and the decimate of the latter, we find the principle on which Savary's fire or steam engine is founded. See STEAM-Engine. CENTURY, in antiquity. The Roman people, when they were assembled for the electing of magistrates, enacting of laws, or deliberating upon any public affair, were always divided into centuries, and voted by centuries, in order that their votes might be the more VOL. V. Part I. + easily collected, whence these assemblies were called Century comitia centuriata. The Roman cohorts were also divided into centuries. See Centurion and Cohort. CENTURY, in Chronology, the space of 100 years. This method of computing by centuries is generally observed in church history, commencing from the time of our Saviour's incarnation: in which sense we say the first century, the second century, &c. CENTURIES of Magdeburg, a famous ecclesiastical history, ranged into 13 centuries, carried down to the year 1298, compiled by several hundred Protestants of Magdeburg, the chief of whom was Flavius Illyricus. CENTUSSIS, in Roman antiquity, a coin containing roo asses. CENTZONTLI, in Ornithology, the Mexican name of the Turdus polyglottus. See TURDUS, ORNITHOLOGY Index. CEODES, in Botany, a genus of the diœcia order, belonging to the polygamia class of plants. There is no calyx; the corolla is monopetalous, with a short turbinated tube; the stamina are ten subulated filaments; the antheræ roundish. CEORLES, the name of one of the classes or orders into which the people were distinguished among the Anglo-Saxons. The ceorles, who were persons completely free, and descended from a long race of freemen, constituted a middle class between the labourers and mechanics (who were generally slaves, or descended from slaves), on the one hand, and the nobility on the other. They might go where they pleased, and pursue any way of life that was most agreeable to their humour: but so many of them applied to agriculture, and farming the lands of the nobility, that a ceorl was the most common name for a husbandman or farmer in the Anglo-Saxon times. These ceorls, however, seem in general to have been a kind of gentlemen farmers; and if any one of them prospered so well as to acquire the property of five hydes of land, upon which he had a church, a kitchen, a bell-house, and great gate, and obtained a seat and office in the king's court, he was esteemed a nobleman or thane. If a ceorl applied to learning, and attained to priest's orders, he was also considered as a thane; his weregild, or price of his life, was the same, and his testimony had the same weight in a court of justice. When he applied to trade, and made three voyages beyond sea, in a ship of his own, and with a cargo belonging to himself, he was also advanced to the dignity of a thane. But if a ceorl had a greater propensity to arms than to learning, trade, or agriculture, he then became the fithconman, or military retainer, to some potent and warlike earl, and was called the huscarle of such an earl. If one of these huscarles acquitted himself so well as to obtain from his patron either five hydes of land, or a gilt sword, helmet, and breastplate, as a reward of his valour, he was likewise considered as a thane. Thus the temple of honour stood open to these ceorls, whether they applied themselves to agriculture, commerce, letters, or arms, which were then the only professions esteemed worthy of a freeman. CEOS, CEA, CIA, or Cos, in Ancient Geography, one of the Cyclades, lies opposite to the promontory of Achaia called Sunium, and is go miles in compass. This island is commended by the ancients for its fertility and the richness of its pastures. The first silk stuffs, if Pliny SS Ceos. Ceos Pliny and Solinus are to be credited, were wrought here. Ceos was particularly famous for the excellent Cephalic figs it produced. It was first peopled by Aristœus, the Medicines. son of Apollo and Cyrene, who being grieved for the CEPA, the ONION. See ALLIUM, BOTANY Index. TANY Index. CEPHALIC, in a general meaning, signifies any thing belonging to the head. CEPHALIC Medicines, are remedies for disorders of the head. Cordials are comprehended herein, as are also whatever promotes a free circulation of the blood through the brain. Except when the disorder arises from excess of heat, or an inflammatory disposition in the head, moist topicals should never be used, but always dry ones. To rub the head after it is shaved proves an instan Ceram, taneous cure for a cephalalgia, a stuffing of the head, Cephalic CEPHALIC Vein, in Anatomy, creeps along the arm between the skin and the muscles, and divides it into two branches; the external goes down to the wrist, where it joins the basilica, and turns up to the back of the hand; the internal branch, together with a small one of the basilica, makes the mediana. The ancients used to open this vein for disorders of the head, for which reason it bears this name; but a better acquaintance with the circulation of the blood informs us that there is no foundation for such a notion. CEPHALENIA, or CEPHALLENIA, the largest of the islands constituting the Jonian republic. It was known in Homer's time by the names of Samos and Epirus Melæna, is about forty miles in length, twenty in breadth, and a hundred and thirty in compass. It had anciently four cities, one of which bore the name of the island. Strabo tells us, that in his time there were. only two cities remaining; but Pliny speaks of three; adding, that the ruins of Same, which had been destroyed by the Romans, were still in being. Same was the metropolis of the island, and is supposed to have stood in the place which the Italians call Porto Guiscardo. It contains now three small towns, 130 villages, and 60,000 inhabitants. This island was subdued by the Thebans, under the conduct of Amphitryo, who is said to have killed Pterelas, who then reigned here. After it had been long in subjection to the Thebans, it fell under the power of the Macedonians, and was taken from them by the Ætolians, who held it till it was reduced by M. Fulvius Nobilior, who having gained the metropolis after a four months siege, sold all the citizens for slaves, adding the whole island to the dominions of the republic. It was subject to the Venetians from the year 1449 till the peace of Campo Formio in 1797. It was taken from the French in 1799, and formed into an independent commonwealth. It was again brought under the dominion of the French in 1807, but was taken by the British in 1809, and continues under their protection. IONIAN ISLES, SUPPLEMENT. See CEPHALONIA, the capital of the island of the same name, situated in the Mediterranean, near the coast of Epirus, and subject to the Venetians. E. Long. 21. N. Lat. 38. 30. CEPHEUS, in fabulous history, a king of Arcadia, on whose head Minerva fastening one of Medusa's hairs, he was rendered invincible. CEPHEUS, in Astronomy, a constellation of the northern hemisphere. See ASTRONOMY Index. CERAM, an island in the Indian ocean, between the Molucca islands on the north, and those of Amboyna and Banda on the south, lying between E. Long. 126. and 129. in S. Lat. 3. It is about 150 miles long, and 60 broad; and here the Dutch have Ceram Cerberus have a fortress, which keeps the natives in subjec, tion. CERAMBYX, in Zoology, a genus of insects, of the beetle kind, belonging to the order of insecta coleoptera. See ENTOMOLOGY Index. CERASTES, in Zoology, the trivial name of a species of ANGUIS and COLUBER. See OPHIOLOGY Index. CERASTIUM, MOUSE-EAR. See BOTANY Index. CERASUS. See PRUNUS, BOTANY Index. CERATE, in Pharmacy, a thickish kind of ointment applied to ulcerations, excoriations, &c. See PHARMACY Index. CERATION, the name given by the ancients to the small seeds of ceratonia, used by the Arabian physicians as a weight to adjust the doses of medicines; as the grain weight with us took its rise from a grain of barley. CERATION, or Ceratium, was also a silver coin, equal to one-third of an obolus. CERATOCARPUS. See BOTANY Index. CERATONIA, the CAROB TREE, or St John's bread. See BOTANY Index. The pods of this plant are called St John's bread, from an ill-founded assertion of some writers on Scripture, that these were the locusts which St John ate with his honey in the wilder ness. CERATOPHYLLUM. See BOTANY Index. CERAUNIA, CERAUNIAS, or CERAUNIUS Lapis, in Natural History, a sort of flinty stone, of no certain colour, but of a pyramidical or wedge-like figure: popularly supposed to fall from the clouds in the time of thunder-storms, and to be possessed of divers notable virtues, as promoting sleep, preserving from lightning, &c. The word is from the Greek xεραυνος, thunderbolt. The ceraunia is the same with what is otherwise called the thunder-stone, or thunder-bolt; and also sometimes sagitta or arrow's head, on account of its shape. The cerauniæ are frequently confounded with the ombriæ and brontiæ, as being all supposed to have the same origin. The generality of naturalists take the ceraunia for a native stone, formed among the pyrites, of a saline, concrete, mineral juice. Mercatus and Dr Woodward assert it to be artificial, and to have been fashioned thus by tools. The ceraunia, according to these authors, are the heads of the ancient weapons of war, in use before the invention of iron; which, upon the introduction of that metal, growing into disuse, were dispersed in the fields through this and the neighbouring country. Some of them had possibly served in the early ages for axes, others for wedges, others for chissels; but the greater part for arrow-heads, darts, and lances. The ceraunia is also held by Pliny for a white or crystal-coloured gem, that attracted lightning in itself. What this was, is hard to say. Prudentius also speaks of a yellow ceraunia; by which he is supposed to mean the carbuncle or pyropus. CERBERA. See BOTANY Index. CERBERUS, in fabulous history, a dreadful threeheaded mastiff, born of Typhon and Echidna, and placed to guard the gates of hell. He fawned upon those who entered, but devoured all who attempted to get back. He was, however, mastered by Hercules, who dragged him up to the earth, when, in struggling, a foam dropped from his mouth, which produced the Cerberus poisonous herb called aconite or wolf's bane. Some have supposed that Cerberus is the symbol of Cerealia the earth, or of all-devouring time; and that its three mouths represent the present, past, and future. The victory obtained by Hercules over this monster denotes the conquest which this hero acquired over his passions. Dr Bryant supposes that Cerberus was the name of a place, and that it signified the temple of the Sun; deriving it from Kir Abor, the place of light. This temple was called also Tor-Caph-El, which was changed to τρικηφαλος ; and hence Cerberus was supposed to have had three heads. It was likewise called Tor-Keren, Turris Regia; whence τρι καρηνος, from τρεις, three, and καρηνον, head. CERCELE, in Heraldry. A cross cercele is a cross which, opening at the ends, turns round both ways like a ram's horn. See CROSS. CERCIS, the JUDAS TREE. See BOTANY Index. CERCOPITHECI, in Natural History, the name given by Mr Ray to monkeys, or the class of apes with long tails. See SIMIA, MAMMALIA Index. CERDA, JOHN LEWIS DE LA, a learned Jesuit of Toledo, wrote large commentaries on Virgil, which have been much esteemed; also several other works. He died in 1643, aged 80. CERDONIANS, ancient heretics who maintained most of the errors of Simon Magus, Saturninus, and the Manichees. They took their name from their leader Cerdon, a Syrian, who came to Rome in the time of Pope Hyginus, and there abjured his errors; but in appearance only; for he was afterwards convicted of persisting in them, and accordingly cast out of the church again. Cerdon asserted two principles, the one good and the other evil; this last, according to him, was the creator of the world, and the god that appeared under the old law. The first, whom he called unknown, was the father of Jesus Christ; who, he taught, was incarnate only in appearance, and was not born of a virgin; nor did he suffer death but in appearance. He denied the resurrection, and rejected all the books of the Old Testament, as coming from an evil principle. Marcion, his disciple, succeeded him in his errors. CEREALIA, in antiquity, feasts of Ceres, instituted by Triptolemus, son of Celsus king of Eleusine in Attica, in gratitude for his having been instructed by Ceres, who was supposed to have been his nurse, in the art of cultivating corn and making bread. There were two feasts of this kind at Athens; the one called Eleusinia, the other, Thesmophoria. See the article ELEUSINIA. What both agreed in, and was common to all the cerealia, was, that they were celebrated with a world of religion and purity; so that it was esteemed a great pollution to meddle, on those days, in conjugal matters. It was not Ceres alone that was honoured here, but also Bacchus. The victims offered were hogs, by reason of the waste they make in the products of the earth; whether there was any wine offered or not, is matter of much debate among the critics. Plautus and Macrobius seem to countenance the negative side; Cato and Virgil the positive. Macrobius'says, indeed, they did not offer wine to Ceres, but mulsum, which was a composition of wine and honey boiled up together; that the sa S82 crifice Cerealia crifice made on the 21st December to that goddess 0 and Hercules, was a pregnant sow, together with Ceremo- cakes and mulsum; and that this is what Virgil means nial. by Mili Baccho. The cerealia passed from the Greeks After the battle of Cannæ, the desolation was so CEREALIA, in Botany, from Ceres, the goddess of CEREBELLUM, the hinder part of the head. CEREBRUM, the BRAIN. Its structure and use Dr Hunter observes, that the principal parts of the medullary substance of the brain in idiots and madmen, such as the thalami nervorum opticorum, and medulla oblongata, are found entirely changed from a medullary to a hard, tough, dark-coloured substance, sometimes resembling white leather. CEREMONIAL (ceremoniale) a book in which is prescribed the order of the ceremonies to be observed in certain actions and occasions of solemnity and pomp. The ceremonial of the Roman church is called ordo Romanus. It was published in 1516 by the bishop of Corcyra; at which the college of cardinals were so scandalized, that some of them voted to have the author as well as book burnt, for his temerity in exposing the sacred ceremonies to the eyes of profane people. CEREMONIAL is also used for the set or system of rules and ceremonies which custom has introduced for regulating our behaviour, and which persons practise towards each other, either out of duty, decency, or civility. CEREMONIAL, in a more particular sense, denotes the manner in which princes and ambassadors used to receive and to treat one another. There are endless disputes among sovereigns about the ceremonial: some endeavouring to be on a level, and others to be superior; insomuch that numerous schemes have been proposed for settling them. The chief are, 1. To accommodate the difference by compromise or alteration; so that one shall precede now, the other the next time; or one in one place, and the other in another: 2. By seniority; so that an elder prince in years shall precede a younger, without any other distinction, These expedients, however, have not yet been accept- Ceremoed by any, except some alternate princes, as they are nial called, in Germany. CEREMONIAL is more particularly used in speaking of the laws and regulations given by Moses relating to the worship of God among the ancient Jews. In this sense it amounts to much the same with what is called the Levitical law, and stands contradistinguished from the moral as well as judicial law. CEREMONY, an assemblage of several actions, forms, and circumstances, serving to render a thing more magnificent and solemn. In 1646, M. Ponce published a history of ancient ceremonies, tracing the rise, growth, and introduction of each rite into the church, and its gradual advancement to superstition therein. Many of them were borrowed from Judaism; but more seemingly from Paganism. Dr Middleton has given a fine discourse on the conformity between the Pagan and Popish ceremonies, which he exemplifies in the use of incense, holy water, lamps, and candles, before the shrines of saints, votive gifts or offerings round the shrines of the deceased, &c. In effect, the altars, images, crosses, processions, miracles, and legends; nay, even the very hierarchy, pontificate, religious orders, &c. of the present Romans, he shows, are all copied from their heathen ancestors. We have an ample and magnificent account of the religious ceremonies and customs of all nations in the world, represented in figures designed by Picart, with historical explanations, and many curious dissertations. Master of the CEREMONIES, an officer instituted by King James I. for the more honourable reception of ambassadors and strangers of quality. He wears about his neck a chain of gold, with a medal under the crown of Great Britain, having on one side an emblem of peace, with this motto, Beati pacifici; and on the other, an emblem of war, with Dieu et mon droit: his salary is 300l. per annum. Assistant Master of the CEREMONIES, is to execute the employment in all points, whensoever the master of the ceremonies is absent. His salary is 1411. 13s. 4d. CERENZA, a town of Italy, in the kingdom of Naples, and in the Hither Calabria, with a bishop's It is seated on a rock, in E. Long. 17. 5. N. Lat. CERES, a pagan deity, the inventor or goddess of corn; in like manner as Bacchus was of wine. 39.23. According to the poets, she was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, and the mother of Proserpine, whom she had by Jupiter. Pluto having stolen away Proserpine, Ceres travelled all over the world in quest of her daughter, by the help of a torch, which she had lighted in Mount Etna. As Ceres was thus travelling in search of her daughter, she came to Celeus king of Eleusis, and undertock to bring up his infant son Triptolemus. Being desirous to render her charge immortal, she fed him in the day time with divine milk, and in the night covered him with fire. Celeus observing an unusual improvement in his son, resolved to watch, his nurse; to Π Ceres. 1 Ceres U Cerin thians. to which end he hid himself in that part of the house he saw her put the infant under the embers, he cried Cicero speaks of a temple of Ceres at Catanea in Sicily, where was a very ancient statue of that goddess, but entirely concealed from the sight of men, every thing being performed by matrons and virgins. CERET, a town of France in Rousillon, with a magnificent bridge of a single arch. It is seated near the river Tec, in E. Long. 2. 46. N. Lat. 42. 23. CEREUS, in Botany. See CACTUS. CERIGO, an island in the Archipelago, anciently called Cytherea; noted for being the birthplace of Helen and of Venus. It is now one of the seven isles constituting the Ionian republic. At present there is nothing very delightful in the place; for the country is mountainous, and the soil dry. It abounds in hares, quails, turtle, and excellent falcons. It is about 50 miles in circumference, and produces corn, wine, flax, oil, and cotton. The town of the same name is strong both by art and nature, being seated on a craggy rock. The inhabitants, who are Greek Christians, were about 10,000 in number in 1806. CERINES, a town in the island of Cyprus, with a good castle, a harbour, and a bishop's see. E. Long. 33. 35. N. Lat, 35. 22. CERINTHE, HONEYWORT. See BOTANY In dex. CERINTHIANS, ancient heretics, who denied the deity of Jesus Christ. They took their name from Cerinthus, one of the first heresiarchs in the church, being contemporary with St John. See CE RINTHUS. They believed that Jesus Christ was a mere man, born of Joseph and Mary; but that, in his baptism, a celestial virtue descended on him in form of a dove; by means whereof he was consecrated by the Holy Spirit, and made Christ. It was by means of this celestial virtue, therefore, that he wrought so many miracles; which, as he received it from heaven, quitted him after his passion, and returned to the place whence it came; so that Jesus, whom they called a pure man, really died and rose again; but that Christ, who was distinguished from Jesus, did not suffer at all. It was partly to refute this sect that St John wrote his go spel. They received the gospel of St Matthew, to Cerin- CERINTHUS, a heresiarch, cotemporary with the CEROPEGIA. See BOTANY Index. See CERTIFICATE, Trial by, in the law of England, a species of trial allowed in such cases where the evidence of the person certifying is the only proper criterion of the point in dispute *. For when the fact * See Trial. in question lies out of the cognizance of the court, the judges must rely on the solemn averment or information of persons in such a station as affords them the most clear and competent knowledge of the truth. As Blackst. therefore such evidence, if given to a jury, must have Comment. been conclusive, the law, to save trouble and circuity, permits the fact to be determined upon such certificate merely. Thus, 1. If the issue be whether A was absent with the king in his army out of the realm in time of war, this shall be tried by the certificate of the mareschal of the king's host in writing under his seal, which shall be sent to the justices. 2. If, in order to avoid an outlawry, or the like, it was alleged that the defendant was in prison, ultra mare, at Bourdeaux, or in the service of the mayor of Bourdeaux, this should have been tried by the certificate of the mayor, and the like of the captain of Calais. But when this was law, those towns were under the dominion of the crown of England. And therefore, by a parity of reason, it should now hold, that in similar cases arising at Jamaica or Minorca, the trial should be by certificate from the governor of those islands. We also find that the certificate of the queen's messengers, sent to summon home a peeress of the realm, was formerly held a sufficient trial of the contempt in refusing to obey such summons. 3. For matters within the realm; the customs of the city of London shall be tried by the certificate of the mayor and aldermen, certified by the mouth of their recorder, upon a surmise from the party alleging it, that the custom ought to be thus tried; else it must be tried by the country: As, the custom of distributing the effects of freemen deceased; of enrolling apprentices, or that he who is free of one trade may use another; if any of these, or other similar points come in issue. 4. The trial of all customs and practice of the courts shall be by certificate from the proper officers of those courts respectively; and. |