C H A
( >9° )
C H A
rants for preparing, fitting out, and furni filing Wefiminjler- Hall, againil: Coronations, Trials of Peers, Be.
He difpofes of the Sword of State, to be carry'd by whom he pleafes ; and when he goes to Parliament, is on the right Hand of the Sword, the Lord Marflial being on the left. On all folemn Occaiions, the Keys of Weflmin- Jler-Hall, of the Court of Wards, and Court of Requefbs, are deliver'd him.
To him belong Livery and Lodging in the King's Court ; and he has certain Fees from every Bi/hop at his doing Homage to the King, and from every Peer at his Crea- tion. Under his Command are, the Gentlcman-XlJJjer of the 'Black Rod, the Teoman-Ujher, and Door-keepers.
This Honour was long held by the Earls of Oxford ; viz. from the Time of Henry I. by an Eftate Tail, or In- heritance ; but in the three laft Coronations by the Mar- quis of Lindfey, now Duke of Anca$er\ by an Eftate or Inheritance from a Daughter and Heir General, claim'd, but controverted.
Lord Chamberlain of the HouflMd, an Officer who has the Ovcrfight and Direction of all Officers belonging to the King's Chamber, except the PrecincT; of the Bed- Chamber ; which is abfolutely under the Groom of the Stole. See ¥>tlv- Chamber.
He has the Ovcrfight of the Officers of the Wardrobe, of the removing of Wardrobes, Beds, Tents, Revels, Mu- fick. Comedians, Hunting, Meflengers, Trumpeters, Drum- mers, Handicrafts, and other Tradefmen rctain'd in the King's Service : As alfo of all Serjeants at Arms, Phyfi- cians, Apothecaries, Surgeons, Barbers, the King's Chap- lains &c. and adminiitcrs the Oath to all Officers above Stairs, &e.
There are alfo Chamberlains of the King's Courts, of the Exchequer, of North Wales \ of Chcfler, of the City of London &c. in all which Cafes, this Officer is commonly the Receiver of all Rents and Revenues belonging to the Place whereof he is Chamberlain.
When there is no Prince of Wales, and Earl of Chefler, the Chamberlain of Chefler hath the Receipt and Return of all Writs coming thither out of any of the King's Courts.
In the Exchequer, there are two Officers of this Name, who were wont to keep a Controulment of the Pells of Receipt and Exitus ; and kept certain Keys of the Trea- fury and Records : They kept alfo the Keys of thatTrea- fury where the Leagues of the King's Predeceffors, and divers antient Books, as Dooms-day Book, and the Black- Book of the Exchequer remain. See Exchequer.
The Chamberlain of London keeps the City Money, which is laid up in the Chamber of London, an Apartment in Guild-Halt : He alfo prefides over the Affairs of Mailers and Apprentices j and makes free of the City, &c.
His Office lafls but for a Year, being chofen annually on Midfrnnmer-Day. but the Cuftom ufually obtains, to re- chufe the fame Perfon ; unlefs he have been chargeable with any Mifdemeanor in his Office.
F/w-Chambeerlain. See Mic-E.-Cha?nberlain.
CHAMBRANLE, in Architecture and Joinery, the Bor- der Frame, or Ornament of Stone or Wood, us'd in the three Sides round Chamber-Doors, large Windows, and Chimneys. .
The Chambranle is different in the different Orders : when 'tis plain and without Mouldings, 'tis call'd limply and properly, Band, Cafe, or Frame.
The Chambranle confiMs of three Parts; the two Sides, called Montants, or Torts ; and the Top, called the Ira- verfe, or Sufercilium.
The Chambranle of an ordinary Door, is frequently call'd 'Door-Cafe; of a Window, Window Frame j of a Chimney, Mantle-Tree See Door, Window, Mantle.
CHAMFER, or CHAMFRET, in Architecture, an Or- nament confifHng of half a Scotia ; being a kind of fmall Furrow, or Gutter on a Column, call'd alfo Scapus, Stria, £i/c. See Stria.
Chamfering, or Chamfraining, is particularly us'd for the cutting of the Edge, or End of any thing a-flope, or bevel. See Bevel.
CHAMELOT, in Commerce. See Camelot.
CHAMPAIN. See Campaign, and Champion.
J -Point Champain, in Heraldry, is a Mark of Dif- honour in the Coat of Arms of him who kills a Prifoner of War after he has cry'd Quarter. See Point.
CHAMPARTORS, in the Words of the Statute 33 JEdw. I. are * They who move Pleas or Suits, or caufe
- them to be moved, either by their own Procurement
- or others : and fue them at their proper Coits, to have
« part of the Land in Variance, or part of the Gains ;
- asainft whom lies a Writ of Champarty.
CHAMPARTY, or CHAMPERTY, in Law, a Main- tenance of any Man in his Suit, upon Condition of having part of the Thing, be it Lands or Goods 5 in cafe it be recavcr'd. See Maintenance.
The "Word comes from the French Champ, Field, and parti, divided 5 the Field, or Thing conreffed for, being iuppos'd to be divided between the Champartor, or Main- tamer, and the Perfon in whole Right he fues.
This feems to have been an antient Grievance • fo r notwithihnding feveral S;atute,s againfi it, and a Form of Writ accommodated to 'em, in the Time of Edivard I yet in that of Ed-ward III. it was enaclcd, That whereas redrefs on the former Statute was only to be had in the King's-Bench, which then follow'd the Court ; for the ft. ture it fiiould likewife be cognizable by the Jufficcs of ths Common tPleas, and Judges of /If/he.
CHAMPION, properly fignifies, a Perfon who under- takes a Combat, in the Place or Quarrel of another : tho the Wovd is alfo fometimes us'd for him who fights in his own Caufe. See Combat.
Hottoman defines Champion, Certator pro Alio datus in Duello, a Campo diUus, qui Circus erat decertantibus defi- nitus : Hence it is alfo called Camfight.
Du Cange obferves, that Champions, in the juft Senfe of the Word, were Perfons who fought in lieu of thole who were oblig'd by Cuftom to accepr the Duel ; but had yet a juft Excufe for difpenfing with it, as being too old, infirm, Ecclefiafiicks, l$>c. He adds, that the Champions were ufually rerain'd or hir'd for fo much Money, and were held infamous.
There were alfo fome Vaffals, who by the Faith and Homage fwore to their Lords, were oblig'd to fight for 'em in cafe of need.
Some Authors hold, any Perfon was allow'd the Be- nefit of a Champion^ excepting Parricides, and thofe ac- cus'd of very heinous Offences.
This Cuftom of deciding Differences by Combat, was deriv'd from the North 5 whence it pafs'd into Germany, and, with the Saxons, into Englaud > and infenfibly thro the reft of Europe.
When two Champions were chofe to maintain the Pro and the Con, 'twas always requir'd there fhould be a Sen- tence of the Judge to authorize the Combat : When the Judge had pronoune'd Sentence, the Accufed threw a Gage, or Pledge, ordinarily a Glove, or Gantlet; which being taken up by the Accufer, rhey were both taken into fafe Cuftody till the Day of Battel, appointed by the Judge. See Gage.
If either of them fled after this, he was declar'd infa- mous, and deem'd to have committed the Crime imputed to him. Nor were the Accufer and Accufed now allow'd to make up the Matter ; at leafi, not without the Con. fent of the Judge; which was never granted, without mak- ing the Lord Satisfaction fjr the Right of Succeffion to the Effects of the Vanquifhed.
Before the Champ'mis took the Field, their Heads were Jhav'd, and they made Oath, * They believ'd the Perfon ' who retain'd them was in the right ; and that they ' wou'd defend his Caufe to the utmolt of their Power.' The Weapons they us d when the Combat was on Foot, were a Sword and Buckler ; fome fay, in England, only a Club and Buckler: when on Horfeback, they were arm'd at all Points. Their Weapons were blefled in the Field by the Piiefr, with a world of Ceremony ; and each took an Oath he had no Charm upon him.
The Action began with railing, and giving each other ill Language ; at the Sound of a Trumpet they were to go to Blows : After the Number of Biows or Rencounters exprefs'd in the Cartel, the Judges of the Combat threw a Rod into the Air, to advertife the Champions that the Combat was ended. If it laited till Night, or ended with equal Advantage on cither fide, the Accus'd was reputed Viaor.
The Punifhment of the Vanquifti'd, was that which the Crime merited whereof he was accus'd : If it were a Ca- pital Crime, the Vanquifh'd was difarm'd, led out of the Field, and immediately executed, together with the Party whofe Caufe he maintain'd. If the conqucr'd Champion fought in the Caufe of a Woman, fhe was burnt. See Duel.
Champion of the King, is an Officer whofe Bufinefs is, at the Coronation of a King of England, to ride into Wejl- minfler-Hall, arm'd Cap-a-pe, when the King is at Dinner, and throw down his Gantlet by way of Challenge ; pro- nouncing, by a Herald, l That if any Man fhall deny, or
- gainfay the King's Title to the Crown, he is there
\ ready to defend it in fingle Combat, ££?c.' Which done, the King drinks to him, fending him a gilt Cup with a Cover, full of Wine ; which the Champion drinks, and ha* the Cup for his Fee.
This Office, ever fince the Coronation of Richard II- has been continu'd in the Family of Dymocke, who held the Mannor of Scnvelsby in LincolnfJiire, Hereditary fronj the Family of the Mann'mis, who had it before, by grand Serjeanty; i. e. that the Lord thereof fhall be the King's Champion. See Serjeanty.
1 Cham-
