Page:Cyclopaedia, Chambers - Volume 2.djvu/493

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(870)

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Fretorium was alfo the Tenf, or Pavillion of the General of the Roman Army ; wherein Councils of War, i$c. were held.

From the time of Augustus, the Emperor's Tent in the Camp was diftinguifti'd by the Titles of Pretoritim Au- guftale.

Pretorium was alfo a Place In Rome where the Pre- torian Guards were lodged. See Pretorian.

Some will have the fretorium to be properly the Tribu- nal of the Pr<efe£ius Pretorii ; or an Auditory deftined for the rendring of Juftice in the Emperor's Palace. See Prefect.

This they argue from StPaul's Epiftle to the Philippi- tms ; and from this place call'd Pretorium, they will have the Guards denominated Pratoriani, becaufe affembled here for the Emperor's Guard.

Others will not allow the Pretoriumto be any Tribunal, or Seat of Juftice, but merely the Imperial Guard-houfe.

Perizonius has an exprefs Differtation to prove that the fretorium was no Court of Juftice in St. Paul's time ; but the Camp or Place where the Pretorian Guards were affembled. He adds, that the Name Pretorium was not given to Places where Juftice was adminiftred, till long timeafter ; when the Office of the PrcefeBus Pretorii was converted into a Civil Function.

PREVARICATION, Pnevaricatio, in the Civil Law, is where the Informer colludes with the Defendant, and fo makes only a feign'd Profecution.

Sylvius, in his Comments on Cicero, fro Cluentio, gives us the difference between the three Terms, Calumniari, 'prtevaricari, and^Tergiverfari. He who in his Accufation forges faults never committed, is faid Calumniari. He who undertakes one's Suit, and either will not urge Reafons in behalf of his Client, or not anfwer the Objections of his Adverfary, when he is able, is faid Prtevaricari. And he who defifts in his Accufation, and lets the Suit drop, ler- giverfari.

Prevarication, in our Law, is when a Man falfly and deceitfully feems to undertake a thing, ea intentione, that he might deftroy it ; e.gr. where a Lawyer pleads booty, or acts by collufion,cifc.

Prevarication is alfo ufed for a fecret Abufe com- mitted in the Exercifeof a public Office, or of aCommiffion given by a private Perfon.

PREVARICATOR, in the Univerfity of Cambridge, is a Mafter of Arts, chofen at a Commencement, to make an ingenious, fatyrical Speech, reflecting on the Mifleraea* nours of the principal Members. SeeTERRjE Filius.

PREVENTION, in the Canon, fSc. Law, the Right a fuperior Perfon, or Officer has to lay hold of, claim, or tranfadt an Affair before an inferior to whom it more imme- diately belongs.

The Word is chiefly ufed for the Pope's Prevention of ordinary Collators; and the Royal Judges of fubaltern ones.

The Romijh Canonifts maintain, that the Pope, who is the Source of all Jurifdiction, has not tranfmitted it priva- tively to the ordinary Collators 5 but that he may ftill not only collate concurrently with them, but alto prevent them by ufing his original Power as Head of the Church. See Collator.

Thefe Preventions are grown odious in feveral Countries, where they don't now obtain without a world of Modifi- cations and Reftrictions ; and the Civil Power in France, always judges in favour of the ordinary Collators.

The Pope has no Prevention to the prejudice of Lay- Patrons ; but by the Concordat he has referved to himfelf the Right of conferring elective Benefices by Prevention, and even Cathedral and Collegiate Dignities. See Con- cordat.

If the Provifions of the Pope, and Collations of the Or- dinary bear Date of the fame Day ; the Ultramontane Cano- nifts give the preference to the Pope ; the French to the Ordinary.

The Cardinals have a particular Indulgence not to be prevented by the Pope within fix Months.

PR1APEIA, in Poetry, a Name given to certain obfeene Epigrams, and other Pieces, compofed on the God Priapus ; whereof we have many Inftances in the Greek CatatecJa. See Priapus.

PRIAPISMUS, Priapism, in Medicine, a continual and painful Erection or Tenfionof the Yard, See Erection.

The immediate Caufe of a Priapifm, is the Heat, Pun- gency, or Acrimony of the Semen ; accompanied with a Convulfion of the Mufcles of that part, which compreffing the Veins and cavernous Bodies, prevent the return of the Blood.

The more remote Caufes are too hot, fliarp, ftimulating Foods ; Cantharides are alfo found to perform the fame effect, but with much more violence. There are Inftances of People, efpecially old Men, who, making ufe of Can- tharides to enable 'em to fatisfy their Paffions the better,

have been feiz'd with a Priapifm, which has been foll ou ,>j with univerfal Convulfions, and even Death. See C tharides. " A **~

The Term is derived from Priapus, a Heathen God whom the Poets and Painters reprefent with a Yard a l w .°' ftiffand erect. "

As Satyrs are ufually painted after the fame manner the Dileale is alfo call'd Satyriajis. '

Some, however, diftinguifh between the Satyriafa and Priapifmus; in that the latter is without any effufion or defire; but the former attended with both. See Sa

TYRIASZS.

PRIAPUS, a Term fometimes apply'd to the genital Parts of Men, viz. the Penis and Tettes. SeeGENiTAt.

The Name took its rife from Priapus, afabulous Deity particularly adoted at Zampfachus, the Place of his Birth; who, for the extraordinary Size of his Parts was exceedingly revered by the Women ; infomuch that the Scripture tells us, King Afa dethroned his Mother Maachah, becaufe Are had confecrated a Grove to Priapus, and prefided at his Sacrifices.

PRICE, Pretium, the Value of a thing. See Value.

VRICZ-Current, in Commerce, a weekly Account of the current Value of moft Commodities. See Current

PRICK- Poft, in Building, fee Post.

PRICKING, in the Sea-Language. Toprick the Plat, or Chart, is to make a Point therein, near about where the Ship is to be at any time ; in order to find the Courfe they are to fleer. See Course, Chart, &c.

PRIEST, Sacerdos, a Perfon fet a-part for the perfor- mance of Sacrifice, and other Offices, and Ceremonies of Religion. See Sacrifice, Religion, cifc.

Thus the falfe Gods and Goddeffes of the Heathens had their Priefis ; Priefts if Mars, of Bacchus, of Hercules, of Jfls ; and fome of 'em their Priefteffes. See Pontiff i£c. '

The Jews too had an Order of Priefts zndZevites, who ferv'd in the Temple. See Levite, £5?c.

The Mahometans have their Priefts call'd Scheik and Muphti ; and the Indians and Chinefe their Bramans and Bonzes. See Scheik, Muphti, Bonzes, and Bram an.

Priest, Presbyter, in the Chrittian Cdurch, is a Perfon inverted with holy Orders ; in virtue whereof, he has a Power to preach, pray, adminifter the Sacraments, tic. and, in the Romijh Church, alfo, to blefs, abfolve, i$c. See Orders.

By^he Canons, a Man muft be twenty- four Years of Agee'er he be admitred to the Priefihood ; antiently thirty Yta.s were required. See Ordination.

The Holy Scripture ufually confounds the Title of Prieft, Presbyter, with that of Bijhop, Epifcopos ; and does not feem to give any Superiority to the one, over the other : and, yet, the abfolute Equality among all the Priefts in the Government of the Church has few Inftances, but what are contefted. See Presbyter.

Blondel and Salmafius maintain with a world of Reafon, that in tiie primitive Church, the Priefts g ivern'd with per- fect Equality, and without any other pre-eminence befide that of Age ; and yet to con'fult the Fathers, and Tradi- tion, the Presbyterian Form of Government would fcarce feem to have been known among the Antients. See Pres- byterian.

In effect, the primitive Writers fpeak of nothing but Epif- copacy ; and of that too, frequently in fuch Terms, as if they efteem'd it of Apoftolical Inftitution. See Episco- pacy and Bishop.

As, in the antient Church, the Deacons had the Manage- ment and Adminiftration of the Revenues of the Church, their Authority grew apace, and in a little time they were got above the Priefts ; St. Jerom ufed his utmoft Endeavours to prove that Deacons were originally inferior to Priefts ; and the Council of Nice decided the Queftion in favour of thelatter. See Deacon.

Indeed, an Order of Deacons having been inflituted without any other Function than to affift the Prieft at the Altar ; thefe have made no difficulty of owning the Supe- riority of the Priefts-. Add to this, that the Order of a Deacon being now become neceffary to arrive at that of a Prieft, there is no room to difpute the precedence : But the Deacons who had retain'd their Funflion, had the dif- pofal of the Revenues, and paid the Priefts their Peniions, ftill maintain'd the Superiority. Upon which, thefixth Council in Truth pronounced once more on the Difpute, and gave the Pre-eminence to the Priefts.

Cardinal Priest, fee Cardinal.

High Priest, fee Pontifex.

PRIEST's Cap, in Fortification, fee Bonnet a Petre. _ PRIMA Naturalia, in Phyfics, Atoms, or the firft Par- ticles, whereof natural Bodies are primarily compofed j call'd alfo Minima Naturalia, which fee : See alfo Par- ticle, Atom, ££c. PRIM* Vite, in Medicine, the firft Paffages of tha

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