ſake of their monaſtery, were made deniſons of all England (London excepted) by King John.
ABERDEEN, the name of two cities in Scotland, called the Old and New Towns, ſituated on the German Ocean, in 1 45. W. lon. and 57. 11. N. lat.
The old town lies about a mile to the north of the new, at the mouth of the river Don, over which is a fine bridge, of a ſingle arch, which reſts at both ſides on two rocks. The old town was formerly the ſeat of the biſhop, and had a large cathedral church, commonly called St Macher's. This cathedral had anciently two rows of ſtone pillars acroſs the church, and three turrets; the ſteeple, which was the largeſt of theſe turrets, reſted upon an arch, ſupported by four pillars. In this cathedral there was a fine library; but about the year 1560 it was almoſt totally deſtroyed.
But the capital building is the King's-college, on the ſouth ſide of the town, which is a large and ſtately fabric. The ſteeple is vaulted with a double croſs arch, above which is an imperial crown, ſupported by eight stone pillars, and cloſed with a globe and two gilded croſſes. In the year 1631 this ſteeple was thrown down by a ſtorm, but was ſoon after rebuilt in a more ſtately form. This college was founded by Biſhop Elphinſton in the year 1500; but James IV. claimed the patronage of it, and it has ſince been called the King's College. This college, and the Mariſhall-college in the new town, form one univerſity, called the Univerſity of King Charles.
The new town is the capital of the ſhire of Aberdeen. For largeneſs, trade, and beauty, it greatly exceeds any town in the North. It ſtands upon a hill or riſing ground. The buildings are generally four ſtories high, and have, for the moſt part, gardens behind them, which gives it a beautiful appearance. On the high ſtreet is a large church, which formerly belonged to the Franciſcans. This church was begun by Bp William Elphinſton, and finished by Gavinus Dunbar, Biſhop of Aberdeen, about the 1500. Bp Dunbar is ſaid likewiſe to have built the bridge over the Dee, which conſiſts of ſeven arches. The chief public building in the new town is the Mariſhall-college, founded by George Keith Earl of Mariſhall, in the year 1593; but has since been greatly augmented with additional buildings. In both the Mariſhall and King's-college the languages, mathematics, natural philoſophy, divinity, &c. are taught by very able profeſſors.
ABERDOUR, a ſmall town in Fifeſhire, Scotland, on the frith of Fourth, about ten miles N. W. of Edinburgh.
ABERGAVENY, in Monmouthſhire, England, a well-built town, lying 142 miles W. by N. of London, in 51. 50. N. lat. and 30. 5. W. lon. This town conſiſts of about 500 houſes, has a weekly market on the Tueſdays, and another on the Fridays; and three fairs for horſes, ſheep, and black cattle.
ABERMURDER, an old law-term for murder, proved in a judicial manner, which could not be atoned for with money.
ABERRATION, in aſtronomy, a ſmall apparent motion of the fixed ſtars, firſt diſcovered by Dr Bradley and Mr Mollineux, and found to be owing to the progreſſive motion of light, and the earth's annual motion in its orbit. If a lucid object be fixed, and the eye of the obſerver moving along in any other direction than that of a ſtreight line from the eye to the object, it is plain, that the object muſt have an apparent motion, greater or leſs, according to the velocity with which the eye is moved, and the diſtance of the object from the eye. See Astronomy.
ABERRATION, in optics, a deviation of the rays of light which prevents their uniting in the ſame focal point, and is occaſioned by their being refracted by a ſpherical lens, or reflected by a ſpherical ſpeculum. See Optics.
ABERYSWITH, a market-town in Wales, lying 199 miles W. S. W. of London, in 52. 30. N. lat. and 40. 15. W. long.
ABESTA, the name of one of the ſacred books of the Perſian magi, which they aſcribe to their great founder Zoroaſter. The abeſta is a commentary on two others of their religous books called Zend and Pazend; the three together including the whole ſyſtem of the Ignicold, or worſhippers of fire.
ABESTON, a blundering way of writing Abeſtus. See Abestus.
ABETTOR, a law-term, implying one who encourages another to the performance of ſome criminal action, or who is art and part of the performance itſelf. Treaſon is the only crime in which abettors are excluded by law, every individual concered being conſidered as a principal. It is the ſame with art and part in the Scots law.
ABEVACUATION, in medicine, a gentle evacuation. See Evacuation.
ABEX, the name of a large tract of land, lying along the west coaſt of the Red-ſea, ſouth of Egypt, ſubject to the Ottoman Porte.
ABEYANCE, in law, the expectancy of an eſtate. Thus if lands be leaſed to one perſon for life, with reverſion to another for years, the remainder for years is an abeyance till the death of the leſſee.
ABHEL, in botany, an obſolete name of the ſabina or ſavin. See Juniper and Sabina.
ABIB, ſignifying an ear of corn, a name given by the Jews to the firſt month of their eccleſiaſtical year, afterwards called Niſan. It commenced at the vernal equinox, and, according to the courſe of the moon, by which their months were regulated, anſwered to the latter part of our March, and beginning of April.
ABIDING by a writing, in Scots law: When a perſon ſounds upon a writing alledged to be falſe, he may be obliged to declare judicially, whether he will ſtand or abide by it as a true deed. As to the conſequences of abiding by, or paſſing from, a falſe deed, ſee Scots Law, title, Crimes.
ABIES, the fir-tree, in botany, belongs to the monæcia monadelphia claſs of Linnæus. For its characters, see Pinus, of which it is a ſpecies.
ABIGEAT, an old law-term, denoting the crime of ſtealing cattle by droves or herds. This crime was more ſeverely punished than furtum, the delinquent
