and then; and in a Month's time it becomes fit for use.
To sweeten it, and improve the Flavour, some chuse to put in Sugar, with a Quantity of Rasberries.
CHERSONESUS, in Geography, a Peninsula; or a Continent almost incompass'd round with the Sea, only joining to the main Land by a narrow Neck, or Isthmus. See Peninsula.
This Term is us'd by the Moderns, in Complaisance to the Antients, who call'd all their Peninsulas by this Name: Accordingly, such Places as were hereby distinguish'd among them, retain the Name among us; as the Chersonesus of Peloponnesus, of Thrace, Chersonesus Cimbrica, Aurea, &c.
The Word is Greek, Χερσόνησος, which signifies the same thing.
CHERUB, or CHERUBIN, a Celestial Spirit, which, in the Hierarchy, is plac'd next in order to the Seraphim. See Hierarchy.
They are painted red, to signify that they are inflam'd with the Love of God.
The Word is form'd of the Hebrew כְּרוּב Cherub; the Plural whereof is Cherubim.
Cherub is also the Name of an antient Military Order in Sweden, otherwise call'd the Order of Seraphim. It was instituted by Magnus IV. in 1334; and abolish'd by Charles IX. It took its Denomination from the golden Figures of Cherubim, whereof the Collar of the Order was compos'd.
CHESS, a fashionable Game, perform'd with little round Pieces of Wood, on a Board divided into 64 Squares; where Art and Address are so indispensibly requisite, that Chance seems to have no place; and a Person never loses but by his own Fault.
On each side are eight Men, and as many Pawns, which are to be mov'd and shifted, according to certain Rules and Laws of the Game.
Donatus, on Terence's Eunuch, observes, that Pyrrhus, the most knowing and expert Prince of his Age, ranging a Battle, made use of the Men at Chess to form his Designs; and to shew the Secrets thereof to others. Vopiscus, in his Life of Proculus, informs us, that one of the Roman Emperors had the Title Augustus given him, because of his gaining ten Games at Chess successively. Tamerlane is recorded as a very expert Gamester at Chess.
Chess is doubtless a most antient and universal Game: The common Opinion is, that it was invented by Palamedes at the Siege of Troy. Others attribute the Invention to Diomedes, who liv'd in the Time of Alexander: The Romance of the Rose ascribes it to one Attalus; but the Truth is, the Game is so very antient, there is no traceing its Author.
In China it makes a considerable Part of the Education of their Maids, and seems to take the Place of the Dancing among us. In Spain, whole Cities challenge each other at Chess.
John of Salisbury relates, that in a Battel between the French and English, in 1117, an English Knight seizing the Bridle of Louis le Gros, and crying to his Comrades The King is taken, that Prince struck him to the Ground with his Sword, saying, Ne scais tu pas quaux echecs on ne prend pas le Roy?
Cardinal Cajetan, and other Casuists, rank Chess in the Number of prohibited Games; as requiring too much Application: And Montaign blames it as too serious for a Game.
Sarrasin has a precise Treatise on the different Opinions of the Origin of the Latin Schacchi; whence the French Echecs, and our Chess, is form'd. Menage is alfo very full on the same Head. Leunclavius takes it to come from Uscoques, a famous Turkish Robber: P. Sirmond from the German Schach, Thief; and that from Calculus. He takes Chess to be the same with the Ludus Latrunculorum of the Romans, but mistakenly. This Opinion is countenane'd by Vossius and Salmasius, who derive the Word from Calculus, as us'd for Latrunculus. G. Tolosantis derives it from the Hebrew Schach, vallavit & mat, mortuus; whence Chess and Chess-mate.
Fabricius says, a celebrated Persian Astronomer, one Scatrensca, invented the Game of Chess; and gave it his own Name, which it still bears in that Country. Nicod derives it from Scheque, or Xeque, a Moorish Word for Lord, King, and Prince: Bochart adds, that Scach is originally Persian, and that Scachmat, in that Language, signifies the King is dead. The Opinion of Nicod and Bochart, which is likewise that of Scriverius, appears the most probable.
CHEST, in Commerce, a kind of Measure, containing an uncertain Quantity of several Commodities. See Measure.
A Chest of Sugar, v.g. contains from 10 to 15 hundred Weight: A Chest of Glass, from 200 to 300 Foot; of Castle Soap, from 21⁄2 to 3 hundred Weight; of Indigo, from 11⁄2 to 2 hundred Weight; five Score to the hundred.
CHEVAGE, or CHIEFAGE, according to Bracton, signifies a Tribute by the Head; or a kind of Poll-Money antiently paid by such as held Lands in Villanage, or otherwise, to their Lords, in acknowledgment. See Poll.
The Word seems also to have been us'd for a Sum of Money yearly given to a Man of Power, for his Patronage and Protection, as to their Cheif.
In the first Sense, Coke observes, there is still a kind of Chevage subsisting in Wales, call'd Amabyr ; paid to the Prince of Wales for the Marriage of his Daughters ; antiently by all, now only by some. "Lambard" writes it Chivage. The Jews, while allow'd to live in England, paid Chevage, or Poll-Money ; viz. three Pence per Head, paid at Easter.
The Word is form'd of the French Chef, Head.
CHEVAL de Frise, a large piece of Timber pierced, and travers'd with wooden Spikes, arm'd or pointed with Iron, five or fix Foot long.
Its Use is to defend a Passage, slop a Breach, or make a Retrenchment to slop the Cavalry.
'Tis sometimes also mounted on Wheels, with Artificial Fires, to roll down in an Assault.
Errard observes, that the Prince of Orange us'd to inclose his Camp with Chevaux de Frise, laying them over one another.
The Term properly signifies a Friseland Horse ; as having been first invented in that Country.
In a Medal of Licinius, is found a kind of Cheval de Frise, made with Spikes interposed ; serving to express a fortify 'd Camp.
CHEVALIER, a French Term, ordinarily signifying a Knight. See KNIGHT.
It is us'd, in Heraldry, to signify any Cavalier, or Horseman arm'd at all Points ; by the Romans call'd Cataphractus Eques, now out of ute, and only to be seen in Coat-Armour. See EQUES, MILES, CATAPHRACTUS, &c.
The Word is form'd of the French Cheval, Horse ; and that of the Latin Cavallus.
CHEVELEE, a Term us'd by the French Heralds, to express what we commonly call "Streaming" ; i.e. the Stream of Light darting from a Comet, by Astronomers call'd its Beard.
CHEVERON, or CHEVRON, in Heraldry, one of the honourable Ordinaries of a Shield ; representing two Rafters of a House join'd together, without any Division. See ORDINARY, &c.
It descends from the Chief towards the Extremities of the Coat, in form of a Pair of Compasses half open: Thus, he bears Gules, a Chevron Argent.
The Cheveron is the Symbol of Protection, say some, or of Constancy, according to others : Some say it represents the Knight's Spurs ; others the Head-Attire of Priestesses ; others a piece of the List, or the Barrier or Fence of a Park.
When it is alone, it should take up the third Part of the Coat : When 'tis accompany'd with any other Bearings, its Breadth must be adjusted thereby.
It is bore divers ways ; sometimes in Chies sometimes in Sase, sometimes enarch'd, sometimes reversal, &c.
The Cheveron is sometimes charg'd with another Cheveron, I of its Height.
Two Cheverons are allow'd in the same Field, abut not more ; when they exceed that Number, they are call'd Cbeveronswise, or Cheveronels. There are Cheverons of several Pieces.
A Cheveron is said to be abaiss'd, when its Point does not approach the Head of the Chief, nor reach farther than the Middle of the Coat; mutilated,when it does not touch the Extremes of the Coat ; or cloven, when the upper Point is taken off, so that the Pieces only touch at one of the Angles; broke, when one Branch is separated into two Pieces ; couched, when the Point is turn'd towards one side of the Escutcheon ; divided, when the Branches are of several Metals, or when Metal is oppos'd to Colour ; inverted, when the Point is towards the Point of the Coat, and its Branches towards the Chief.
A Coat is said to be Cheveroned, when it is sill'd with an equal Number of Cheverons, of Colour and Metal.
Countercbeveron'd, is when it is so divided, as that Colour is oppos'd to Metal, and vice versa.
Per Cheveron, or Party per Cheveron, is when the Field is divided by only two single Lines, rising from the two Base Points, and meeting in a Point above, as the Cheveron does.
Cheveronel, is a Diminutive of Cheveron; and as such only contains half a Cheveron.
Chevronee, or Chevronny, signifies the Parting of the Shield several times Cheveronwise. Gibbon says, Cheveronne of six.
CHIAOUS, an Officer in the Grand Signior's Court, doing the Business of an Usher.
