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LEFT COURT-MARTIAL 177 COVENANT is administered, or the persons (judges) assembled for hearing and deciding causes, civil, criminal, military, naval, or ecclesiastical. Courts may be classified in various ways. A common distinction is into courts of record and not of record ; the first being those the judicial proceed- ings of which are enrolled in records. They may also be divided into courts of original jurisdiction, inferior, and su- perior courts. In the United States the courts of law are either Federal or State. Federal courts derive their authority from the National Government. They comprise the Supreme Court of the United States, and the District Courts of the United States. The latter in 1911 as- sumed the work of Circuit Courts, abol- ished in that year. Other courts existing under the National Government are the United States Circuit Courts of Appeals, the United States Court of Claims, the United States Court of Custom Appeals, and various local tribunals for the Dis- trict of Columbia. The State courts derive their authority from the several State constitutions. They consist usually of a Supreme Court or Court of Appeals, and of local crim- inal and civil courts for the various coun- ties. Speaking generally, Federal courts have jurisdiction in cases involving the laws of the United States; State courts have jurisdiction in cases involving State laws. Courts in England derive their author- ity from royal or parliamentary enact- ment. They are designated, according to their jurisdiction, as "King's Bench Division," "Chancery Division," "Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division," "Court of Appeals," and the like. There are also the terms of court held by the Lord High Chancellor, the Lord Chief -Justice of Eng- land, the Master of the Rolls, the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, and the various county courts. The highest legal tribu- nal in England is the House of Lords when sitting as a court of appeal. In France the courts exist in accord- ance with the provisions of the code Napoleon. At their head is the Court of Cassation. In Germany there are fed- eral courts and courts of the various Ger- man states. The Latin countries organ- ize their courts to some extent upon the French model, except that in Spain, Portugal, and most South American countries the Roman Catholic priesthood have their own courts and cannot be he' i amenable to the ordinary tribunals. COURT-MARTIAL, a court authorized by the articles of war, for the trial of all offenders in the army or navy, for military offenses. It has no jurisdiction over a citizen of the United States not employed in military service. It n^^y consist of any number of commissioned officers, from 5 to 13. See Military Courts. COURT-PLASTER (so-called because originally applied by ladies of the court as patches on the face), black, flesh- colored, or transparent silk varnished over with a solution of isinglass, which ' is often perfumed with benzoin, used for covering slight wounds. COURTRAI (kor-tra'), a fortified town of Belgium, province of West Flanders. 26 miles S. of Bruges, on the Ly?. Before the World War it was well built, having handsome and spacious streets, and a fine Grande Place, with several other squares. Its manufactures are table-linens, lace (which is cele- brated), cambrics, cotton goods, etc., and it has extensive bleaching and dyeing works. Here, in 1302, took place the "battle of spurs" between the French and Flemings. During the World War (g. V.) it was at various times the scene of important military operations. Pop. about 36,000. COUSIN, VICTOR, a French philoso- pher; born in Paris, Nov. 28, 1792. He founded a school of eclectic philosophy; combining the doctrines of the Scotch school of Reid and Stewart, based on sensation, with those of Schelling and Hegel, which rest on the opposite prin- ciple of idealism or intuition. He pos- sessed in a high degree the faculty of clear exposition, and for that reason his lectures and his writings enjoyed a great popularity. He rendered a mem- orable seivice both to philosophy t.nd literature by his translation of "Plato," praised by Jowett. Besides his "History of Philosophy" and other works on that - theme, he was author of a few bio- •.-, graphical sketches. He died in Cannes, 'l. Jan. 2, 1867. COUTTS, THOMAS, a Scotch banker; born in Edinburgh, Sept. 7, 1753; the son of a merchant and banker. Wiiki his brother James he founded the bank- ing house of Coutts and Co. in London, and on the latter's death in 1778 became sole manager. Keen and exact in mat- ters of business, although charitable and hospital in private, he left a fortune of some $4,500,000 at his death in London, Feb. 24, 1822. By his first wife, who had been a servant of his brother, he had three daughters, who married re- spectively the Earl of Guilford, the Mar- quis of Bute, and Sir Francis Burdett, Bart.; in 1815 he married Miss Mellon, the actress. COVENANT, in law, an agreement be- tween two or more parties in writing,