VES
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V Et
The Form of Vefflls, is a thing of great importance, with who kept the perpetual Fire of Vefta, in imitation of the
regard to their Motion, Sailing, igc. and in the determining celeftial Fires : but the Greeks were poffefs'd with the famo
what Form is moil commodious, the new Doctrine of Infi- Superftition; particularly the Delphians, Athenians 'tene-
nites becomes of apparent Service to Navigation and Com- dims, Argives, Rhodium, Cyzicenians, ' Milefians, Ephefi-
merce. ans, &c.
A Body moving in an immoveable Fluid is obliged to VESTALIA, Feafts held in honour of the Goddefs Vefta;
fever the Parts thereof; and they refill fuch Separation, on the fifth of the Ides of June, i. e. on the ninth Day of
Now, fetting afide a certain Tenacity, whereby they are that Month. See Feast.
glued together; and which is different in different Liquids; On that Day, Banquets were made before the Houfes 5
the whole Force of the Refiftance depends on that of the and Meats fent to the Veftals, to be offer'd by them to the
Shock, or Impulfe : Fot a Body that is ftruck, ftrikes at the Goddefs.
fame time; but a perpendicular Stroke is that a Liquid re- The Affes that tum'd the Mills for gtinding of Corn, were
lifts the moft, as being the greateft : And for a Body to on this occafion led about the City crown'd with Flowers, and
move freely therein, it muft be of fuch Figure, as to pre- Chaplets form'd of pieces of Bread; and the Millftones
fent it fell as obliquely as poflible. If it were triangular, were likewife deck'd with Garlands and Crowns,
and moved Point foremoft; 'tis certain all its Parts would The Ladies went barefooted in Proceffion to the Temple
ftrike the Fluid obliquely, but they would all ftrike it with of Vefta; and an Altar was erected to Jupiter the Baker,
the fame Obliquity; and it were more advantageous, that Jovi Tiftori, in the Capitol.
each ftiould ftrike more obliquely than its Neighbour. The Veftalia had their Name from that of their God- Now, fuch a perpetual Augmentation of Obliquity, can defs Vefta, whom the Greeks call'd 'Eria, Fire, or Hearth 3 no where be had but in a Curve Line; each Point whereof whence Cicero derives the Latin Name. — Accordingly, the is confider'd as an infinitely fmall right Line, always inclined Poets frequently ufe Vefta for Fire, or Flame; as Jupiter to the other little right Lines contiguous to it. for Air, Ceres for Corn, iSc. See God, igc. To find what Curve it is whofe perpetual Change of Ob- VESTIARIUS, Vestiary, in Antiquity, liquity, or Inclination in all its Parts, renders it of all others " ' the fittert to divide the Fluid eafily; is a Problem much more difficult than it appears to be; and, in effect, only to be folved by the new Geometry : The Solution was firft gi-
Mafter of a
Ward-robe; or an Officer under the Greek Empire, who had the Care and Direction of the Emperor's Apparel, Robes, E>e.
The 'Protoveftiarius, or firft Veftiary, was the grand
ven by Sir /. Newton in his Inveftigation of the Solid of the Mafter of the Wardrobe. Bur, among'the Romans', Vef-
leaft Refiftance. tiarias was only a Salefman, or Tailor.
That Author, however, did not publifh his Analyfis; yet VESTIBLE, Vestijiulum, in Architeflure, a kind of the Marquis do tHofital hit upon it : And afterwards M. Entry into large Buildings; being an open Place before the Fatio refolv'd the fame Problem; tho by a much longer and Hall, or at bottom of the Staircafe.
more perplex'd way. See Solid of the leaft Refiftance. Veftibles only intended for Magnificence, ate ufually be-
VEST, and Vestiture. See Investiture. tween the Court and the Garden : Thefe are fometimes fim~
VESTALS, in Antiquity, Maids in antient Rome, confe- pie, that is, have their oppofite Sides equally enrich'd with Ar-
crated to the Service of the Goddefs Vefta; and particularly, ches; and fometimes their Plan is not contain'd under four
to watch the facred Fire in her Temple. See Vestalia. equal Lines, or a circular one, but forms feveral Van-corps
Numa firft inftituted four Veftals; and 'Plutarch tells us, and Rear-corps, furnifh'd with Pilafters, &?c. Servius TulliuS added two more : which number, fix, lafted The Romans had Places call'd Veftibles at the Entrance
as long as the Worfhip of the Goddefs Vefta. 'Tis true, of their Houfes, to fhelter People oblig'd to ftand at the
S. Ambrofe reckons them feven; but without any Founda- Door, from the Weather : We have ftill Veftibles of the like tion. kind, in many old Churches, Houfes, S?c. call'd 'Porches.
The Veftals made a Vow of perpetual Virginity : Their See Porch. Employment was, the Sacrificing to Vefta, and keeping up Martinius derives the Word from Veftte ftabulum; by the Holy Fire in her Temple. If rhey violated their Chafti- reafon the Fore-part of the Houfe was dedicated to Vefta. ty, they were punifh'd wirh remarkable Severity; being Z)aviler derives it from Veftis, and ambulo; by reafon Peo- fhut up, or buried in a deep Pit, or Cavern, with a lighted pie there begin to let their Trains fall. Lamp, and a little Water and Milk, and there left to be Vestible, in Anatomy, the Fore-part of the Labyrinth
devout'd by Hunger. If they let out the Fire, they were of the Ear. See Ear, and Labyrinth.
whip'd by the 'Pontifex Maximal; and the Fire was re-kin- The Veftible is a fmall Cavity, of an irregular Form.pla- dled by the Sun-Beams collected, fome lay, in Burning- ced immediately above the Bafis of the Stapes; between Glaffes, and not otherwife. the femicircular Channels, and the Cochlea.
To be fecure of their Virginity, at their Admiffion, it was In it appear divers Foramina; as that of the Feneftra
provided, That they fhould not be above fix Years old. Ovalis; the five Foramina of the femicircular Canals; that
They-were^chofen by Lot, out of twenty Virgins carried by of the Cochlea; and five other very fmall ones, thro' which the Pontiff to the Comitia, for that purpofe. fo manv Nerves pafs. See Foramen, Fenestra, e?c.
They were only confecrated for 30 Tears; after which VESTIGIA, a Latin Tetm, frequently ufed by Englijb time, they were at liberty to go out and be marry'd. If Writers, to iignify the Traces, or Foorlteps any thing has left they continu'd in the Houfe after that time, they were only behind it. See Trace.
to be affiftant in point of Advice to the other Veftals. The Word is particularly applied to the Marks remain-
The firft ten Years they were to employ in learning their jng of fomething Antique, gone to Ruin by Time. See Functions; the ten following they were to exercife them; Ruins.
and the laft ten, to teach them to others. VESTRY, Vestiaria, a Room adjoining to a Church,
Their Order was very rich; both on account of the En- where the Priefts Veftments and facred Utenfils are kept. dowments of the Emperor, and of Legacies of other Perfons. See Vestry-j^?*;.
The Veftals had a particular Place allotted them at the Vestry-^k, a felect Number of the ptincipal Perfons of
Amphitheatres and Games of the Circus. Their Vehicle every Parifh within the City of London, and elfewhere;
was the Carpentum, or 'Pilcntum. See Carpentum, &c. who yearly chufe Pariifi-Officers, and take care of its Con- The Veii wherein they facrificed, was call'd Suffibulum. cernments. See Parish.
At firft, they were nominared by the Kings; but after They are thus called, becaufe they ufually meet in the the Extinction of Monarchy, by the 'Pontifex Maxi?nus, or Vtftry of the Church. See Secret arium. High Prieft. The oldeft of them was call'd Maxima, as VzsrKY-Cierk, an Officer who keeps the Parifti Accompts. the firft Pontiff was Maximus. See Pontiff. See Parish.
They had divers Privileges : difpofed of their Effects by VESTURE, Vestment, a Garment, or Cloathing. Tcftament in their Father's Life-time; had the fame Gra- Sometimes, in our Law-Books, it is uled metaphorically; tification as a Mother of three Children; and whenever as in Veftura terra, i.e. Scgetes qui bus terra Veftuur; the they met a Criminal going to Execution, had a Power to Corn wherewith the Earth is clothed, or cover'd.
pardon him. Vefture of an Acre of Land, is the Profit of it, or
The Fire.. which the Veftals were to watch, was not on an the Wood, Corn, &c. gtowing on it.
Altar, or a Hearth; but in little earthen Veflels with two Vesture alio fignifies a Poffeffion, or admittance to a
Handles, call'd Capeduncula. Poffeffion : In which Senfe it is borrow'd from the Feudilfs 5
This Fire was held a Pledge of the Empire of the World, with whom Inveftitura fignifies a Delivery of Poffeffion by
If it went out, 'twas held a vety unlucky Prognottick; and a Spear, or Staff; and Veftura, Poffeffion it felf. See Inves-
was to be expiated with infinite Ceremonies. Among the Romans, Feftus tells us, it was only to be re kindled by the rubbing a kind of Wood, proper for the Purpofe. But a- mong the Greeks, 'Plutarch, in the Life of Numa, obferves, it was to be re-kind!ed by expofing fome inflammable Mat- ter in the Centre of a concave Veffel held to the Sun. —
For it is to be noted, the Romans wete not the only People the Benefits of a Veteran.
TITURE.
VETERAN, Veteranus, in the Roman Militia, a Sol- dier who was grown old in the Service; or who had made a certain number of Campaigns; and on that account was en- titled to certain Benefits and Privileges.
Twenty Years Service, were fufficient to entitle a Man to
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