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to every Yard in Length, and therefore this Mad mufl be i 4 inches thro, or thick. The Fore-Malt of a Ship mult be f of the Length of the Main-Maft, that is in this Cafe ij Yards; thick, or thro it mull be near 20 Inches. The Boltipm is always the fame Length and Big- r,cisw.ih.he FoteMaft; and the Mizen-Mait muft be juit half the Length of the Main-Maft, and half as thick.
MASTER ; a Title given to feveral Officers, and Per- fonsof Authority and Command, and particularly to the Chiefs of the Orders of Knighthood, gfc. Thus we fay the Grand Mafter of Maltha, of St. Lazarus, of the Gulden fleece, of the Free Maftms, &c.
The Title Mafter, Magifter, was frequent among the Romans: They had their Mafter of the People, Magifter Fopuli, who was the Diflator; Mafter of the Cavalry, Mxgfier. Equitum, who held the fecond Poll in an Army after the Dictator. Under the later Emperors there we re alfo Matters of the Infantry, Magiftri Peditem, A Mafter of the Ceyfas Magifter Cenft, who had nothing of the Charge of a Cenfor or Sub-Cenfor, as the Name feems to intimate 5 but was the fame with the CommhTioner of the irumentanes, Prtpofttus Prumentarmrm. Mailer of the. Mil.na, Magtjter Mdkix, an Officer in the lower Em- pire, created, as 'tis urged, by Dioclefmn, who had the Infpection and Government of all the Forces, with power to punifh, iSc fomewhat like a Confiable of France. At firft there were two of thefe Officers inftimted, the one for the Infantry, and the other for the Cavalry. But the two were united into one under Conftantine. But as their Power was increafed, fo was their Number too ; and there was one appointed for the Court, another for Thrace, ano- ther for the Eaft, and another for lllyria. They were after- wards call'd Connies, Counts, and Claripmi. Their Power was only a Branch of that of the FrxfeBus Prxtorii, who by that means became a Civil Officer. Majter of Arms, Magifter Jrmorum, was an Officer or Comptroller under the Mafter of the Militia. Mafter of the Offices, Magifter Offictorum, had the Superintendance of all the Officers of the Court. He was alfo call'd Magifter Officii, Palatine, limply Magifter, and his Pott Magiftena. Ibis Officer was the fame in the Weftern Empire with the Cunpalaiii in the Eaflern. In fine, Mafter, in the Roman Hiltory and Laws, is ufed for every Officer, who is the firft of his kind, and who has others of the fame Species, or that have the fame Fundi ions, under him. In Latin, Magifter, and oftentimes Proximus.
Master of the Ceremonies, is an Officer inftituted by King James the firft, for the more folemn and honourable Reception of Ambaffadors and Strangers of Quality, whom he introduces into the Prcfence. The Badge of his Office is a Gold Chain and Medal, having on one fide an Emblem of Peace, with King James's Motto, and on the Revcrfe the Emblem of War, with Diet, (g mon droit : He is always fuppofed to be a Perfon of good Addrcfs, and Mafter of Languages : He is conftantly attending at Court, and hath under him an Affiftant Mafter, or De- puty, who holds his Place during the King's pleafure. There is alfo a third Officer, call'd Marjhal of the Ceremo- nies, whofe Bufinefs it is to receive and diftribute the Majlcr's Orders, or the Deputies, for the Service ; but without their Order he can do nothing. This is in the King's Gift.
Master of the Houfhold, is an Officer under the Lord- Steward of the Houfbold, and in the King's Gift : His Bufinefs is to Purvey the Accounts of the Houfhold. An- tiently the Lord-Steward himfelf was call'd Grand Mafter of the Houfhold. See Houshold.
Master of the Horfe, a great Officer of the Crown, to whom is committed the Charge of ordering and difpofing all Matters relating to the King's Stables, Races, and Breed of Horfcs, as he had anticntly, of all the Pofls in Eng- land. He hath a Power of commanding the Equerries, and all the other Officers and Tradefmen employ'd in the King's Stables ; to all which he gives, by his Warrant to theAvencr, the Oath of Allegiance, He for the true and faithful Difcharge of their Duty. He has the peculiar Privilege of making ufe of anv Horfes, Pages, or Footmen, belonging to the King's Stables; fo that his Coaches, Horfes, and Attendants, ate the King's, and have the King's Arms and Liveries.
Master of the Mnt: This, in the fecond Year of Henry the Sixth, was the Title of him, who is now call'd Warden of the Mint ; whofe Office it is to receive the Sil- ver and Bullion, which comes to the Mint to be coined, and to take care thereof. See Mint.
Master rf the Court of Wards and Liveries, was the chief Officer, and Judge of that Court, who kept the Seal of it, and was named and affigned by the King. But this Court, and all its Officers, Members, Power, and Appur- ti nances, is taken away by a Statute made the la Car. i. i. 24.
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• M ^I E * °f ! he level-mufe; mention'd in ;p Mitt c. i is an Officer of the King's Houfhold of great Credit, be- ing allowed Diet for himfelf, and the Clerks of the Of-
r „ u ^7j g "! gin lhe Court - He h,; »" Charge of all the Gold and Silver Plate ufed at the King's Ta- ble, or be ongmg to any Officer of account attending the Court; and of al Plate remaining in the Tower of Lon- don, as alfo of Chains and loofe Jewels, not fixed to any Garment. *
Master of the Ordnance, a great Officer, to whofe Care all the King 5 Ordnance and Artillery is committed See Orbn ance.
1 ■^ AfT r R °f' he Fa " thk! > =»> Officer under the Arch- bifhop of Canterbury, who grants Licences and Difpenfa- tions ; he is mention'd in the Statute of laying Impolitions at Law, of 22,23 Car. 2. See Faculty.
Master of the Revels, an Officer, whofe Office it is to order all things relating to the Performance of Tragedies Comedies, Masks, Balls, &c, at Court : He hath likewife a Junldidion of granting Licences to all who travel to act I lays, Puppet-Shews, or other fuch like Diverfions : which is very beneficial to him, and increafeth the Small- nefs of the Salary, which is but ig /. per Jnnum, to a ve- ry confidcrable Income. Neither can any new Play be afled at either of the two Houfes, till it has pafs'd his Pcrufal and Licence firft ; and he hath the liberty to caf- trate any thing, which fliall be offenfive to Reli-ion 'or Virtue, and for the latter has his Fee.
Master of the Armory, he that has the Care and O- verfight of his Majefty's Arms and Armory.
Master of the Temple. The Founder of the Order of the Templars, and all his Succeffors, were call'd Ma'ni Tempi, Magiftri ; and ever fince the Diffolution of the Order, the Spiritual Guide and Direclcr of the Houfe is call'd by that Name. See Temple.
Master of the Ward-Robe, an Office in the Lord Cham- berlain's Diitncr, who has the Power of managing all the Royal Robes; as thofe of the Coronation, St. Geor/e's Feaft, the Parliament-Robes : as alfo of the wearing Ap- parel, Collar of SS's, George and Garter, &c. He has the Charge and Cuftody of all former Kings and Queens Robes, remaining in the Tower; all Hangings, Bedding, ISt. for the Kings Houfe; the Charge and Delivery of Velvet and Scarlet allow'd for Liveries. He has under him a Clerk of the Robes, and Wardrobe-Keeper, a Yeo- man, c>c. See Wardrobe.
Master of Arts, the firft Degree taken up in foreign Univerfities, but the fecond in ours; Candidates not be- ing admitted to it till they have ftudied in the Univerfity feven Years. See Degree.
Master of a Ship ; an Officer, to whom is committed the Direction of a Merchant- Vefl'el, who commands it in chief, and is charged wirh the Merchandizes aboard. In the Mediterranean, the Mafter is frequently called Patron, and in long Voyages Captain. 'Tis the Proprietor of the Veffel that appoints the Mafter ; and 'tis the Mafter pro- vides the Equipage, hires the Pilots, Sailors, igc. The M-fter is obliged to keep a Rcgiiler of the Seamen and Officers, the Terms of their Contrail, the Receipts and Payments, and in general, every thing relating to his Commiffion. See Ship.
Master <f the Rolls, has his Office by Patent, which is for Life. In the Abfence of the Lord-Chaiicellor or Keeper, he fits as Judge in the Coutt of Chancery, and is, by Sir Edward Coke, call'd his Affiant. At othet times he hears Caufes in the Rolls Chappel ; he is alfo the firft of the Mailers in Chancery, and hath their Affiftance at the Rolls: but all Hearings before him are aopealable to the Lord Chancellor. He hath alfo his Writ of Sum- mons to Parliament, and fits next to the Lord Chief Juf- tice of England, on the fecond Woolpack. He hath the keeping of the Parliament Rolls, and all the Rolls Houfe for his Habitation ; as alfo the Cuflody of all Charters, Patents, Commiffions, Deeds, Recognizances, which being made of Rolls of Parchment, gave' rife to the Name. In his Gift are the fix Clerks in Chancery, the Examiners, three Clerks of the Petty-bag, and the fix Clerks of the Rolls Chappel, where the Rolls are kept. See Rolls.
Mastees in Chancery, are ufually chofen out of the Barriflers of the Common Law, and fit in Chancery, or at the Rolls, as Affiftants to the Lord Chancellor, and Mafter of the Rolls, during Term-Timc : To thefn is alfo com- mitted Interlocutory Reports, flating of Accounts, taxing Cofls, ££c. And fometimes, by way of Refetence, they are empower'd to make a final Determination of Caufes. They have, time out of mind, had the Honour to fit in the Lords Houfe, tho they have neither Writs, nor Patent to empower them; but as Affiftants to the Lord Chan- cellor, and Mafter of the Rolls. They had antiently the Care of infpecling all Writs of Summons, which is now performed by the Clerk of the Petty-bag. When any Mcffage is fent from the Lords to the Commons, it is
carry'd
