424 COUNCIL Protestant churches generally admit the full au- thority of none of them, and esteem as oecumen- ical only the six which directly followed the last named. The synodical assemblies of the Protestant churches, as the councils of La Ro- chelle and Dort near the period of the refor- mation, the general synods of the Evangelical church of Germany, and the convocations of the English church at the present time, can- not in their nature be oecumenical. The most complete collections of the acts of councils are those of Binius (Cologne, 1606 and 1618; Paris, 1636) ; the same edited by Labbe and Cossart (17 vols., Paris, 1671 ; supplement by Baluze, 1 vol., 1683); Collectio Maxima Conciliorum, by Hardouin (12 vols., Paris, 1715); Coleti (23 vols., Venice, 1728 et seq.) ; Mansi (31 vols., Florence, 1759-'98); and Disch, Concilien- lexikon, embracing all the councils from the first at Jerusalem (2 vols., Augsburg, 1843- '45). The best collection of the old French councils is that of Sirmond (3 vols., Paris, 1629), with supplements by La Lande (Paris, 1666) ; of the later French councils, that of Odespun (Paris, 1649); of German councils, that of Schannat, Hartzheim, Scholl, and Neis- sen (11 vols., Cologne, 1759-'90); of German national, provincial, and diocesan councils, from the 4th century to the council of Trent, that of Binterim (7 vols., Mentz, 1835-'43); and of Spanish councils, that of Aguirre (Madrid, 1781 et seq.). (The history of particular coun- cils is given in special articles under the names of the cities in which they were held.) II. In political history, the term council is variously applied to either permanent or extraordinary deliberative assemblies. The political affairs of the cantons of Switzerland are intrusted to councils. Certain courts of justice in France were formerly termed councils. The COUNCIL OF TEN was the secret tribunal of the republic of Venice, instituted in 1310, after the con- spiracy of Tiepolo, and composed originally of 10 councillors in black, to whom were soon added 6 others in red, and the doge. This council was appointed to guard the security of the state, and to anticipate and punish its secret enemies, and was armed with unlimited power over the life and property of the citizens. All its processes were secret. At first estab- lished temporarily, it was prolonged from year to year, was declared perpetual in 1335, and maintained its power till the fall of the republic in 1797. The COUNCIL OF TEE ANCIENTS (con- seil des anciens), in France, was an assembly instituted by the constitution of the year III. (adopted on the first day of the year IV., Sept. 23, 1795), which shared the power with the executive directory, and composed, with the council of five hundred, the legislative body. It had 250 members, either married or widow- ers, aged at least 40 years, domiciled at least 15 years in France, and one third of whom were to be renewed annually. It sat in the Tuileries, in the former hall of the convention, and had the power to change the residence x>f the legis- lative body. It confirmed or rejected, but could not amend, the measures proposed by the council of five hundred. It was over- thrown by the re volution of the 18th Brumai re. The COUNCIL OF FIVE HUNDEED (conseil des cinq-cents), instituted at the same time as the council of the ancients, was composed of 500 members, aged at least 25 (and from the year VII. 30) years, domiciled 10 years in France, and one third renewed annually. It sat in the salle du manege, in the rue de Kivoli, and proposed laws which were read three times, at intervals of ten days. On the 18th Fructidor, year V., 42 of its members were expelled ; but it recovered its power with the revival of the Jacobins, and was violently dissolved by Napoleon on the 19th Brumaire, year VIII. (1799). The COUNCIL OF STATE existed under various names in France from the reign of Philip the Fair. It was composed chiefly of the principal officers of the crown, was dependent upon the will of the king, and followed him in his journeys to advise him on public affairs. The number of councillors of state varied from 15 in 1413 to 30 in 1673. It was limited at the revolution to the king and his ministers, was dissolved in 1792, and was instituted anew in the year VIII., when it was divided into the committees of litigation, the interior, finances, and war. In these commit- tees were elaborated the important laws of the consulate and the empire. This council was modified under the restoration, and under Napoleon III. regained its early importance. (See Regnault's Histoiredu conseil d'etat depuis son originejusqii'd nos jours, 1851.) In Spain, the COUNCIL OF CASTILE under the old mon- archy had the supreme administration of in- ternal affairs; and after the discovery of America, and during the existence of Spain's immense colonial empire, colonial affairs were governed by the COUNCIL OF THE INDIES. In England, the PEIVY COUNCIL was formerly the adviser of the king in all weighty matters of state, a function now discharged by the cabi- net. By acts 2, 3, and 4 William IV., a judi- cial committee of the privy council was con- stituted with high powers. All appeals from the prize and admiralty courts, and from courts in the plantations abroad, and any other ap- peals which by former law or usage had been made to the high court of admiralty in Eng- land, and to the lords commissioners in prize cases, are directed to be made to the king in council. These appeals are then referred to the judicial committee of the privy council, which reports on them to his majesty. This committee consists of the chief justice of the king's bench, the master of the rolls, the vice chancellor of England, and several other per- sons, ex officio ; and any two privy councillors may be added by the king. In Prussia, by a law established March 20, 1807, the COUNCIL OF STATE (StaatsratJi) consisted of the princes of the royal family who had attained their ma- jority, and of the highest officers of the state
