ACR
ACT
ACROSTOLIL'M, in antiquity, an ornament of the prow, or forecnftle cf a fhip, chiefly of war ; fometimes fhaped like a buckler, a helmet, or an animal, but more frequently turned circular or fpiral a . The anticnts had divers deco- rations or additional parts to their fhips, called by a gene- ral name Koguf|2«, thofe on the prow were more particu- larly called r:A=-:, of which the extreme part alone was de- nominated Acrojldium b . — [■ Pitifi. Lex. Antiq. Rom. T. I. p. 18. b ^'-Flojfm. Lex. Univ. T. I. p. 47. Salmaf.Extxc. ad Solin. p. 572. l'eq.]
The- Acrcjhlium, Axgor°*ic», in the prow correfponded to the Aplujlre, in the poop of the fhip. SeeApLUSTRE. Some authors apply the word Acrojtolium, indifferently to the decorations of the prow, and of the poop ; ethers extend the Acrojialia to ail the decorations of the poop c ; and even Feftus and others, confound the Acrojialia with the Rojlra.
But the more exact diflinguifh in all thofe cafes" [' Aquin.
Lex. Milit. T. 1. p. 15. " V. Scbeff. de Milit. Naval. 1. 2.
To the Acrojialia may be referred the Anfirculus, mentioned by Bayfius ; and alfo thofe polifhed fteel pieces refembling a duck's neck, ufed by the Venetians at the heads of their Gondolas.
The Acrojialia were torn from vanquifhed fhips, and fattened to the conqueror's, as a fignal of victory e . We frequently find them reprefented on the reverfes of antient medals. An Acrof- tollum is alfo feen in the famous fculpturc of the apotheofis of Homer'.— ['Died. Sicul. 1. 20. c. 53. Scbeff. de Milit. Nav. 1. 2. c. 6. ' V. Adareau de Mautour. ap. Mem. de Litterat. de Saleng. Contin. T. 7. p. 44.3. feq.]
ACROTELEUTIC, among ecclcfiaftical writers, denotes the end of a verfe or pfalm ; or fometbing added thereto to be fung by the people. Bingh. Orig. Ecclef. T. 1. 1. 14. c. 1. §. 12. p. 666. feq.
In which fenfe Acrotehutic amounts to the fame with Acroftic, Bypopfalma, Diapfahna, Epode, isle. The gloria patri is by fome writers called the Acroteleutic to the pfalms ; becaufe always ufed to be repeated by the people at the end of each.
Hence the word Acroteleutic, is fometimes alfo ufed as fynonymous with doxology. Soxom. Hift. Ecclef. 1. 8. c. 8. and 1. 5. c. 19. Du Gang. Gloff. Graec. T. I. p. 45.
ACROTERIA, {Cycl) — Acroteria, among antient phyficians, was ufed to denote the greater extremities of the body, as the head, hands, and feet.
The Acroteria growing cold in acute diftempers, is held a prognoflic of death ; as indicating a decay of the vital flame, either by reafon of a coagulation of the blood, or too great a confumption of it before.
Ariftotle alfo ufes Acroteria, for the tips or extreme parts of the fingers, covered by the nails ; fometimes alfo for the eminences of the bones. Gorr. Def. Med. p. 18. Call. Lex. Med. p. 13. r J
ACROT ERIASM, Ax^^ac-po!, among antient phyficians, the act of cutting off the extreme parts of the body, when putrificd, by a faw.
Several writers defcribe the operation of Acroteriafm. V. Gorr. Def. Med. p. 18. Cajl. Lex. Med p. 13. Aquapend. in Op. Chirurg. Hilda,,. Tr. de Gangren.
ACROTHYMIA, in furgery, the name of a large tumor in the flefb, rifing in the fhape of a wart, tho' fometimes depreficd and flat. Hejler's Surgery, p. 323.
ACT of Faith, (Cycl.) — The Auto de Fe, may be called thelaft aft of the inquifitorial tragedy ; it is a kind of gaol- delivery, appointed as oft as a competent number of pri- foners in the inquifition are convicted of herefy, either by their own voluntary, or extorted confeffion ; or on the evi- dence of certain witneffes. The procefs is thus: in the morning, they are brought into a great hall, where they nave certain habits put on, which they are to wear in the proceffion. The proceffion is led up by dominican friars, after which come the penitents, fome with fan benitoes, and fome without, according to the nature of their crimes ; be- ing all in black coats without fleeves, and bare-footed with a wax candle in their hands. There are followed by the penitents who have narrowly efcaped being burnt, who over their black coats have flames painted with their points turned downwards, Feugo revolto. Next come the negative, and relapfed, who are to be burnt, having flames on their habit pointing upwards ; after thefe come fuch as profefs doftrines contrary to the faith of Rome, who, befides flames pointing up- wards, have their picture painted on their breafts, with dogs, ferpents, and devils, all open mouthed, about it. Each pri- foner is attended with a familiar of the inquifition, and thofe to be burnt have alfo a jefuit on each hand, who are continually preaching to them to abjure. After the prifoners, comes a troop of familiars on hr-rfe-back, and after them the inqui- litors, and other officers' of the court, on mules; Iaft of all,
m! I , n \ ul,ltor g en <:ral on a white horfe, led by two men with black hats and m « w_l,....j„ '
A fcaffold
hats and green hat-bands.
is erefled in the Terreiro de Pais, big enough
f*,- >.. . '"- """'« ae rata, uig enougn
for two or three thousand people ; at one end of which are
tj f ' at the other ' the Outers. After a fermon
Suppl vT mS ° f '^ inSU ' fiti0n > wd inveflives
againft hereticks, a prieft afcends a defk near the middle of the fcaffold, and having taken the abjuration of the peni- tents, recites the final fentence of thofe who are to be put to death; and delivers them to the fecular arm, earnettly befceching at the fame time the fecular power, not to touch their blood, or put their lives in danger. The prifoners being thus in the hands of the civil magiftrate, are prefently loaded with chains, and carried firft to the fe- cular goal, and from thence in an hour or two brought before the civil judge, who, after afking in what religion they intend to die, pronounces fentence, on fuch as declare they die in the communion of the church of Rome, that they fhall be firft ftrangled, and then burnt to afhes ; on fuch as die in any other faith, that they be burnt alive. Both are immediately carried to the Rikra, the place of execution, where there are as many flakes fet up, as there are prifoners to be burnt, with a quantity of dry furz about them. The flakes of the profefied, that is, fuch as perfift in their herefy, are about four yards high, having a final] hoard towards the top for the prifoner to be feated on. The ne- gative, and relapfed being firft ftrangled and burnt, the pro- fefled mount their flakes by a ladder ; and the jefuits after feveral repeated exhortations, to be reconciled to.the church, part with them, telling them they leave them to the devil, who is ftanding at their elbow to receive their fouls, and carry them with him into the flames of hell. On this a great fllout is raifed, and the cry is, let the dogs beards be made, which is done by thrufting flaming furzes fattened to long poles againft their faces, till their faces are burnt to a coal, which is accom- panied with the loudeft acclamations of joy. At laft, fire is fet to the furz at the bottom of the ftake, ovci which the profeft are chained fo high, that the top of the flame feldom reaches higher than the "feat they fit on, fo that they rather feem roafted than burnt. There cannot be a more "lament- able fpectacle ; the fufferers continually crying out, while they are able, mifericordia per amor de Dios : yet it is be- held by all fexes, and ages, with tranfports of- joy and fatis- faaion. See Gedd. View of Inquif. ap. Mitel. Traft. T. t. p. 442. feq. Limborch. Hift. Inquif. 1. 4. Le Clerc. Bibl. Univ. T. 23. p. 463. feq. Relat. de l'lnquif. de Goa. c. i feq. Ouv. des Scav. Oft. 1687. feq. Afl. Erud. Lipf. Sup. 1. I. p. 70. Memde Trev. Sept. 1701. p. 64. feq.
Acts of the fenate, Ada Senatm, among the Romans, were minutes of what paffed and was debated in the fenate houfe.
Thefe were alfo called Cammentarii, and by a Greek name awtpniuS*. They had their origin in the confulfhip of Ju- lius Cffifar, who ordered them both to be kept, and pub- lifbed. The keeping them was continued under Auguftus, but the publication was abrogated. Afterwards all writings, re- lating to the decrees or fentences of the judges, or what paffed and was done before them, or by their authority, in any caufe, were alfo called by the name Acta. In which fenfe we read of civil Ails, criminal Ads, intervenient Ails, Ada civilia, criminalia, intervenientia, ecc. V. Suet, in Auguft. c. 36. Pitifi. Lex. Antiq. Voc. Atla.
Acts of the People, Atla populi, among the Romans, were journals or regifters of the daily occurrences, as aflemblics, trials, executions, buildings, births, marriages, deaths, (sic. of illuftrious perfons, and the like.
Thefe were otherwife called Ada publico, and Atla diurna, or fimply Ada.
The Ada only differed from annals in that only the greater and more important matters were in the latter, and thofe of lefs note in the former. V. Tacit. Annal. xiii. 31. Pitifi. Lex. Ant. Voc. Ada.
Their origin is attributed to Julius Carfar, who firft ordered the keeping and making publick the acts of the people; fome trace them higher, to Servius Tullius, who to difcover the number of perfons, born, dead, and alive, ordered that the next of kin, upon a birth, fhould put a certain piece of money into the treafury of Juno Lucina ; upon a death, into that of Venus Libitina : the like was alfo to be done upon affirming the Toga Virilis, &c. Under Marcus Antoninus, this was carried further ; perfons were obliged to notify the births of their children, with their names, and furnames, the day, conful, and whether legitimate or fpurious, to the prefects of the JErarium Saturni ; to be entered in the pub- lic Ads. Tho' before this time the births of perfons of qua- lity appear to have thus been regiftred. V. Suet, in Jul. c. 20. n. 1. Capitol, in Marc. c. 9. Suet, in Tib. c. 5. Calig. c. 8. Pitifc. loc. cit.
Publick Acts. The knowledge of publick Ads has been erected into a peculiar fcience, called the diplomatic, of great im- portance to an hiftorian, ftatefman, chronologer % and even critic b . The prefervation of thein was the firft occafion of erecting libraries".. — [ a Leibnitz, ap. Journ. des Scav T. 23 p. 18. It. T. 46. p. 182. " A3. Erud. Lipf. an. 1727! p. 530. Morhoff. Polyhift. Liter. 1. 1. c. 3. xii. p. 23. 'Bibl. Anc. Mod. T. 26. p. 31. Re'mman. Introd. Hift. Liter. T. 2. p. 146.]
The ftyle of Ads is generally barbarous Latin. Authors are
divided as to the rules 'of judging of their genuinenefs, and
even whether there be, any certain rules at all ? F. Germon
1 1 will
