Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/491

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Method of Pressing, Cold.

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After the Stuff has had all its Preparations, i.e. has been fcour'd, full'd, and fhorn (fee Scouring, Fulling, Sheering:} it is folded fquare, in equal Plaits ; and a Skin of Velom, or fine, fmooth Part-board, put between each Plait. Over the whole is laid a fquare wooden Plank ; and in this Condition it is put in the 'Prefs i which is dri- ven tight down by means of the Screw turn'd full upon it, by the hands, affitted with Levers.

After it has lain a fufficient time under the Prefs, they take it out, remove the Faft-boards or Veloms ; and lay it up to keep. It may be obferv'd, that fome do not life a Prefs with a Screw in peflfog cold ; but content thcmlelves with laying the Stuff on a firm Table, after plaiting and paft-boarding it as before ; covering the whole with a wooden Plank, and loading this with a Weight, greater or lefs, as is judg'd neceffary.

Method of Pressing, Hot.

The Stuff having receiv'd all its Preparations a* before, it is fprinkled a little with Water, fometimes with Gum- Water, fpurted over it with the Mouth ; then plaited e- qually, and between each two Plaits are put Leaves of Pall-board ; and between every fixth and feventh Plait, as well as over the whole, an Iron or Brafs Plate, well heated in a kind of Furnace for the purpofe.

This done, it is laid under the Prefs ; and a Screw brought forcibly down upon it, by means of a long Iron Ear.

Under this Prefs are laid five or fix Pieces one over an- other, at the fame time ; all furnifh'd with their Paft-board, and Iron Plates. When the Plates are well cold, they take the Stuffs from under the Ptefs, remove the Palt-boards and Plates, and flitch it a little together, to keep in the Plait.

The 'Preffure of the Air on the Surface of our Earth, is balanced by a Column of Water of the fame Baft-, and about thirty-five Feet high ; or one of Mercury of about twenty-nine Inches. See Torricellian Experiment and Barometer.

The Preffure of the Air on every fquare Inch on the Sur- face of the Earth, is computed to be about fifteen Pounds Avoirdufois. S;e Bathing.

PREST, a Duty in Money, to be paid by the Sheriff, upon his account, in the Exchequer ; or for Money left or remaining in his hands.

Prest Money, from the French Wotd Treft, ready, i s a Sum of Money which binds thofe who receive it, to be ready at command, at all times appointed ; chiefly under- flood in the lifting of Soldiers.

Prest-&/7, in the Sea-Language, is when a Ship carries all the Sail ihe can poflibly croud ; which is fometimes done in giving Chafe, £5?c. But 'tis a dangerous Experi- ment, left the Ship over-fet, or bring her Malls by the Board ; in which latter Cafe Ihe becomes an eafy Prey.

PRESTATION-jWiwe)', a Sum of Money paid yearly by Archdeacons, and other Dignitaries, to their Bifhop,2Vi) exteriori JurifdiBione.

'Prestation was alfo antiently ufed for other Payments : tS quietijint de Freftatione Muragii, Chart. Hen. 7. and fometimes for 'Purveyance.

PRESTER, a Meteor, confifting of an Exhalation thrown from the Clouds downwards with fuch Violence, as that by the Colliiion it is fet on fire. See Meteor.

The Prefer differs from the Thunder-bolt in the man- ner of its Inflammation ; and in its burning and breaking every thing it touches with greater Vehemence. See Thunder- bolt.

The Word is Greek, -rpiis-iif ; fo called from the refem- blance this Meteor has with a kind of Serpent call'd »f»rilp; and fometimes f/l-^ar. PRESTE R JOHN.or Jean, a Term given theEmperor of

This manner of Prefftng Woollen Stuffs, is very perni- the Abyfftnians ; becaufe antiently the Princes of this Countty

cious; and was onlv invented by the Manufacturers to iu- ver the DefeSs of' the Stuffs; and excui'e their not giving them all the Shearings, Dyes, and Preparations, that are ne- ceffary to render them perfect: Accordingly it has been frequently prohibited.

Pressing to death; fee Paine Fort iS -Dure.

PRESSION, or Pressure, in the Cartefmn Philofophy, 1'rufion ; an impulfive kind of Motion, or rather Endeavour to move, impreffedon afluid Medium, and propagated thro' it. SeeMonoN, Fluid, and Cartesian.

In fuch a Preffion, the Cartefians fuppofe the Aflion of Light to confilt; fee Light : And in the various Modi- fications of this Preffion by the Surfaces of Bodies, where

were really Pr lefts, and the Word Jean in their Language fignifies King.

'Twas the French who firft made him known in Europe under this Title. HisEmpire was antiently of vaft Extent; at prefent it is confined to fix Kingdoms, each about the big- nefs of 'Portugal.

TheNzme'Prefter John is altogether unknown in Ethio- pia ; and took its rife hence, That the People of a Pro- vince where this Prince ufually tefides, when they requeft any thing, fay Jean-Coi, i. e. my King. His proper Title is, 'the Grand Negus.

There is alfo a Prefer John of Afia, mention'd by M. 'Paolo the Venetian. His State is in jhe Country of

hat Medium is thus prefs'd, they fuppofe the various Cangingu, between China, and Sifan,_av.d 'Thibet ; a King-

Colours to confift, do. See Colour

But Sir Ifaac Newton has raught us better : For if Light, e.gr. confifled only in a "Preffure, propagated without actual Motion, it could not agitate and warm fuch Bodies as re- flect, and refrafl it ; as we actually find it does ; and if it confided in an inftantaneous Motion, or one propagated to all Diftances in an initant, as fuch Preffion fuppofes, there would be required an infinite Force to produce that Mo- tion, every moment in every lucid Particle,

And if Light confided either in Preffure, or in Motion propagated in a fluid Medium, whethei inllantaneoully, or in time, it muff follow that it would inflecf itfelf ad urn- bram; for Preffure or Motion in a fluid Medium, cannot be propagated in right Lines beyond any Obftacle, uhich ffiall hinder any part of the Motion ; but will inflect and diffufe itfelf every way into thofe parts of the quiefcent Medium, which lie beyond the faid Obftacle.

Thus the Force of Gravity tends downwards, but the 'Preffure, which arifes from thar Force of Gravity, tends every way with an equable Force ; and with equal Eafe and Force, is propagated in crooked Lines, as in flraight. Waves on the Surface of Water, while they Aide by the fides of any large Obftacle, do inflecf, dilate and diffufe themfelves by degrees into the quiefcent Water, lying be- yond the Obftacle. The Waves, Pulfes or Vibrations of our Air, in which Sounds confiff, do manifeftly inflecf them- felves, tho' not fo much as the Waves of Water; for the Sound of a Bell, or of a Cannon, can be heard over a Hill, which intercepts the fonotous Objecf from our fight : and Sounds will be propagated as eafily thro' crooked Tubes, as thro' flraight.

But Light is never obferved to go in Curve Lines, nor ro inflecf irfelf ad mnbram. For the fixed Stars do imme

dom mightily valued by the Chinefe for its Policy, and the Number of its fortify'd Cities; tho' they have ufually the utmoft Contempt for foreign Countties.

Some fay he is fo call'd from a Neflorian Prieff, men- tion'd by Albericus, towards the Tear 114;, to have moun- ted the Throne. Others, that he takes his Name from a Crofs which he bears in his hand, as a Symbol of his Reli- gion.

PREST1MONY, Prkstimonia, in the Canon Law, a Term about which Authors are much divided ; it is de- rived » Fneftatioue quotidiana, and is defined a kind of Be- nefice ferv'd by a fingle Prieft ; in which fenfe, Preftimony is the fame withapresbyterial Chappel. See Benefice.

Others will have Preftimony to be the Incumbency of a Chappel, without any Title or Collation ; fuch as are moft of thofe in Caftles, where Prayers, or Mafs are faid ; and which are mere Oratories un-endow'd : Whence alfo the Term is given in the Rcmijb Church to certain perpetual Offices beftow'd on Canons, Religious, or others, for the faying of Maffes, by way of Augmentation of their Livings.

Others, again, will have Preftimony to be a Leafe, or Conceflion of any Ecclefiaftical Fund, or Revenue belong- ing to a Monaflery ; to be enjoy'd during Life.

23» Moulin makes Prejlimony a prophane Benefice, which, however, has a perpetual Title, and an Ecclefiafti- cal Office with certain Revenues attach'd to it ; which the Incumbent is allow'd to fell; and which may be poffefs'd without Tonfure : Such as the Lay-Church- Wardens of Notre-ilame. He adds, that in Propriety, the Canonrys of Chappels are Benefices of this nature.

Upon rhe whole, the fureft Opinion Teems to be this, that Preftimony is a Fund or Revenue affecfed by the Founder for the Subfiftence of a Prieff, without being

tely difappear on the Interposition of any of the Planets, erefled into anv Title of Benefice, Chappel, Prebend, or

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as well as fome parts of the Sun's Body, by the Intcrpofi tion of the Moon, Venus, or Mercury.

PRESSURE of the Air. See Air.

Moft of the Effects antiently afcribed to the Ftlga Vacui, are now accounted for from the Weight and Preffure of the Air. See Vacuum.

Priory ; and which is not fubject either to the Pope or 1 the Ordinary ; but whereof the Patron, and thofe who have a Right from him, are the Collators ; and nominate and confer, plena jure.

PRESUMPTION, in Law, a Suspicion, or CoyeSure founded on a Verifimilitude,

Pre-