Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/202

 MIN

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MIN

, Boeriw is propofed as a Model for Mnifters of Stare. The Grand Vizir is the Prime Minijier of the Ottoman Empire, See Vizir-

Foreign Minijlers, or the Minifters of Foreign Trhtcek are their Embaffadors, Envoys, Agents, or Residents in the Courts of other Princes.

There are two kinds of Foreign Mimfiert : Minijlers of thefirtt Rank, who are alfo call'd Embaffadors, and En- voys in Extraordinary. See Embassador and Envoy.

And Min'ifersof the fecond Rank, who are the ordinary Residents. See Resident.

Thofe of the fir ft Rank have a Reprefentative Cha- racter, which the others have not 5 tho' thefe laft are fometimes inverted with fuller Powers than the former.

Minister is alfo the Title certain Religious Orders give to their Superior. See Superior.

In this fenfe we fay the Minijier of the Mathurins 5 the Minijier of the Trinitarians. See Mathurin, ££c.

Among the Jefuits, the fecond Superior, or Deputy of each Houfe is call'd Minijier : as being an Afiiftant to the Superior, ox Redlor. See Jesuits.

The General of the Cordeliers Order Is call'd the Mi- fttfier General. See General.

MINISTRY, orMlNISTERY, a Profeffion, Office, or Employment which a Perfon difcharges for the Service of God, the Public, or fome particular Perfon. See Mi- ■ nister.

In this fenfe we fay, a Bifhop muft give account to God of his Minijhy, &c.

Ministry is alfo ufed for the Government of a State, by fome great Miniller under the Sovereign Authority. In this fenfe we fay, the Mmijiry of the Cardinal de Ri- chelieu, &c.

Ministry is alfo frequently ufed as a collective Word, fignifying the Miniflers or Officers of State. Thus we fay, the Mmiftry oppofed a Thing ; meaning, the Minifters oppofed it.

MINIUM, a Mineral Colour, call'd alfo red Lead, ufed by Painters, Illuminers, 'Gfe. See Lead.

Minium is a preparation of Lead, performed by Fire. There are two ways of making it. The firft, of burnt Lead; the fecond ofCerufs, or white Lead further urged bv Fire. See Ceruss, &c,

"Befide the ufe of Minium as a Colour ; it is alfo an In- gredient in an Officinal Compofition, call'd Emf>lajlr urn de Min to, ufed as a Deliccative and Cicatrizer.

Some Authors will have the Minium of the Antients to be what we now call Vermillion. See Vermillion.

MINOR, a Latin Term, literally denoting lefs, ufed in oppofition to major, grearer. See Major,

Thus we fay St. Barnes minor : Afia minor : The Minor Excommunication, ££r.

The four Minor Orders, are the four leffer Orders con- fer'd, in the Rom if Church, between the Tonfure and Subdeaconare. Thefe are that of Porter, or Door-Keeper j that of Reader 5 that of Exorci/i 5 and that of Acolyte. See Exorcist, Acolyte, ES?&

Minor, in Law, is ufed in the like fignification, to denote a Perfon yet [under Age, or who by the Laws of the Country, is not yet arrived to the Power of Adminiftring bis own Affair*, or coming to the Inheritance of an fi- liate. See Age.

Among us, a Perfon is a Minor till the Age of twenty one : Till this Time his Acts are invalid. See Major.

Yet if a Patron, $3c. have a Right of Advowfon, by the Common Law he may prefent at the Age of fourteen Years ; and may of himfelf, and without his Father, or Guardian, confent to any Procefs relating to beneficiary Matters. See Patron.

Hence, in the Canon Law, there is no Title de Minor thus ; and the reafon is, that the fcveral Ages whereat the Com- mon Law declares a Perfon capable of a Benefice, or of Sacred Orders, are fo many Species of Canonical Majorities.

Minor, in Logic, is the fecond Proposition of a formal, or regular Syllogifm, call'd alfo the y/ffumption. See Syl- logism, Proposition, and Assumption.

1 grant the Major, but deny the ■Mhor, See Term.

Minor, in Mufic, is apply'd to certain Concords, which yet differ from others of the fame Denomination by a half Tone. See Semi tone.

Thus we fay, a third Minor, or lefler third : A fixth Major, and'jWmor. See Third, Sixth, fife

Concords that admit cf Major and Minor, i.e. greater, and lefs, arcfaid to be ImperfeB Concords. See Concord.

MINORS, or Friars Minors, an Appellation which the Cordeliers affume,out of /hew of Humility 5 calling them- felves Fratres Minors;, i. e. Leffer Brothers 5 and fometimes Minorites. See Cordeliers.

The Title of Minors, however, is not abfolutely refirain'd tothe Cordeliers, but alfn given, in the general, to all the Mendicants, or begging Religious, founded by St. Francis d'AfJJc. Sec Franciscans.

There is alfo an Order of Regular Minors at Naples, efta- blifhed in the Year 1589, and confirmed by Sixtus V.'

MINOT, a French Meafure, See Measure.

MINOTAUR, in Antiquity, a fabulous Monfter, much talk'd of by the Poets 5 feign 'd to be half Man, and half Bull.

The Minotaur was brought forth by Pafiphae, Wife of Minos King of Crete. It was /hut up in the Labyrinth of that Hland 5 and at laft kill'd by Tbefeus. See Laby- rinth.

Servius gives the Explication of this Fable. He fays, that a Secretary of King Minos, named Taurus, Bull, had an Intrigue with the Queen, Fafiphae, in the Chamber of Dedalus; and that ihe was at length delivered of Twins, one of which refembled Mnos, and the other Taurus, This occafion'dthe Production to be reputed Monftrous.

MINOVERY, a Trefpafs committed in the Fared, by fomething that is a Man's Handy-Work j as an Engine to catch Deer, ££c. See Forest.

The Word is form'd of the French Main-oeu-vre, Hand- Work.

MINSTER, antiently fignified the Church of a Mo- naflery, or Convent. See Church.

The Word is Saxon, Mynjier.

MINSTREL, an antient Term for a Tidier, or a Player on any other kind of Mufical Inftrumenr.

The Word Mmftrel in its Original, was ufed for People who fung and fercnaded their Milt redes. Afterwards it be- came a Name for all kinds of Muficians : and at length pafs'd to Buffoons and Country Scrapers.

Bore/ derives the Word from Manns and Hijl r'to, one who diverts with the Hand ; or from "Minor Hijlrio, Utile Buffoon. Dtt Cange derives it from Minjhellus, a diminutive of Mi- nister, by reafon the Minjlrels were antiently ranked among the lower Officers, Minijiers, or Servants.

MINT, the Place where the King's Coin is form'd. See Coin.

Antiently there were Mints in mod Cities of England. See Money.

The chief Mint at prefent is in the Tower of London. See Tower.

The Officers of the Mint are, 1. The Warden, who is the Chief, and is to receive the Bullion, and over-fee all the other Officers. %. The Majler Worker, who receives the Bullion from the Warden, caufes it to be melted, and de- liver'd to the Monters, and takes it from them again when coin'd. 3. Comptroller, who is to fee that the Money be made to the juft Affize, and to over-fee the Officers. 4. The J/JayMajler, who weighs the Silver and Gold, and fees whether it be Standard. 5. The Auditor, who takes all the Accounts. 6. The Surveyor of the Mating, who is to fee the Silver caft out, and that it be not alcer'd after it is deliver *d to the Melter, i. e. after the Affay-Mafter has made Trial of if. 7. The Clerk of the Irons, who is to fee that the Iron be clean, and fir to work with. 8. The Graver, who engraves the Dies and Stamps fur the Coinage of the Money. 9. The Melters, who melt the Bullion be- fore it comes to Coining. 10. The Blanches, who boil and cleanfe the Money. 11. The Toners, who keep the Gate of the Mint. 12. The Trovoji of the Mint, who provides for all the Moncyers, and over fees them. And, Laftly, the Moniers, fome of which fliear the Money 5 fome forge it; and fome ftamp or coin it 5 and fome round and mill it. See Coinage.

MINT-^mer, thediaill'd Water of the Plant of that Name. See Water.

MINTERS, or Money ers. See Moneyers and Mint.

MINTING, is fometimes ufed for the Coining of Mo- ney. See Coining.

MINUSCULE, or Minuscule, in Printing, are the fmall, or running Letters 5 as contradiftinguiftVd from Ma- jttfcuU, or Capitals. See Letter, Majuscule, &c.

MINUTE, in Geography, and Allronomy, is the doth partofa Degree ; which is the 360th part of a Circle. See

DEGREE.

Thus we fay, the Diameter of the Sun is fcen under an Angleof 39 Minutes in Winter ; and 31 in Summer. See Diameter and Sun.

In this fenfe, a. Minute is alio call'd a Prime, or Prune Minute. SeePRiME.

The Divifions of Degrees are Fractions, whofe Denomi- nators increafe in a Sexagecuple Ratio ; that is, a Minute or Prime is ~ js j a Second, or fecond Minute ==: js'^. £jTc See Sexagesimal.

In Agronomical Tables, &c. Minutes are expreffed by acute Accents, thus, ' j Seconds by two, '' j Thirds by three, '". See Second, Third, &c.

Minute, in computation of Time, is ufed for the Soth parr of an Hour. See Hour.

Minute, in Architecture, is a 30th Part, or Divifion of a Module. See Module.

Minute,