C R E 333 C R I 



Crete, sembly of the people by a plurality of voices. They expedition against this island, but he and the greatest 



■"""Y"^*' were called Cosini, and had the management of the part of his fleet were cut off by the Cretan pirates, who 



most important public business, and also the command hung up their prisoners to the masts, and returned tri- 



of the armies in time of war, with absolute power, but umphant into their harbours. On the following year, 



were liable to be called to an account for their conduct however, Quintus Metellus landed a formidable army 



at the expiry of their authority. The senators were on their shores, and after an obstinate and bloody 



chosen from among those who had passed the office of struggle, which continued for three successive years, 



cosmi, and retained their dignity for life. To them and in which many of the Romans and the bravest of 



were submitted all state affairs ; but nothing was finally the Cretan Warriors fell, he reduced them to submission, 



determined upon without receiving the approbation of when the laws of Numa were immediately substituted 



the people. To provide for the expenses of the state, for those of Minos. " From that period to the present 



every citizen was obliged to bring into the common time," says M. Savary, " the Cretans have ceased to be 



stock the tenth part of his revenues. Part of this was a nation, and have gradually lost their courage, their 



applied to the uses of religion and the salaries of the virtues, their sciences, and their arts. So true is it 



magistrates, and the rest allotted for the public meals, that man is bom for liberty, that, deprived of this 



So that all the inhabitants were fed at the expence and support, which he has received from nature to sus- 



in the name of the republic. This form of government tain his weakness, his genius expires, and his courage 



was highly extolled by Plato. " The republic," says he, languishes, till he sinks to the lowest point of degrada- 



** which approaches too near to a monarchy, and that tion." 



which admits too unrestrained a liberty, are equally re- The island of Crete was celebrated in ancient times 

 mote from the just medium. O Cretans ! O Lacedae- as containing a hundred cities, whence it was called 

 monians ! ye have avoided these two rocks, and esta- Hecatompolis. Forty, however, are only mention- 

 blished your states on the most solid foundation." De ed by Ptolemy ; and of these the most distinguished 

 Legibus, lib. hi. were Cydon, Cnossus, Gortyna, Lyctos, Hiera-petra, 

 The republican form of government continued in Eleuthera, Praesos, Rithymna, Heraclea, Apteron, and 

 Crete as long as it remained a distinct nation ; and the Arcadia. See Ancient Universal History, vol. viii. p. 

 laws of Minos subsisted in all their vigour in the time 212 ; Rollin's Ancient History, vol. v. p. 204 ; Mitford's 

 of Plato, more than nine hundred years after their first History of Greece, vol. i. p. 13 — 170*; Savary's Letters 

 establishment. But though the Cretans retained their on Greece, p. 144, &c. ; Sabbathier's Institutions, Man- 

 ffeedom, and were so far true to their laws as never to nets, &c. of Ancient Nations, vol. i. p. 235. (p) 

 attempt foreign conquest, yet they were continually CRETINS. See Complexion. 

 distracted by internal dissensions. Many of its princi- CREWKERNE, a market town of England, in So- 

 pal cities had early formed themselves into so many mersetshire, is situated in a pleasant wooded valley, on 

 independent republics, who were jealous of each other, the branches of the rivers Parrot and Axe. The town 

 and constantly at war. Of these, the most powerful consists of five principal streets, the houses in which are 

 were Cydon, Cnossus, and Gortyna. The two latter, old and irregular, and its chief buildings are the church, 

 sometimes at variance with each other, wasted the the market house, two ahns houses, and two charity 

 flower of their youth in unavailing contests, and some- schools. The church is an elegant and highly orna- 

 times in alliance attempted to subjugate the neighbour- mented Gothic structure. It has a body and transept, 

 ing cities. Cydon alone opposed a determined resist- with a handsome embattled tower sustained by huge 

 ance to their ambition ; and, after the greater part of pillars. Behind the altar is a room which was formerly 

 the island had submitted to their power, successfully a confessional, but is now used as a chancel house. It 

 withstood their united forces. By one of their laws, has a door on each side for the ingress and egress of the 

 however, the Cretans were enjoined to unite all their penitents, and over the entrance door is a swine, to de- 

 strength whenever a foreign power should attempt a note the polluted state of the sinner before his confession, 

 descent upon their coast ; and it has been remarked, and over the other door are two pigeons, emblematical 

 that they never agreed but when they went to beat off of the purity with which they go out. The market 

 a common enemy. On such occasions, all private house, which is large, stands in the centre of the town, 

 animosities were suspended ; and being convinced, It has some manufactures of sailcloth, stockings, dow- 

 that victory depended upon the unanimity of their lass, and girt-web. 

 troops, they magnificently adorned the most beautiful In 1811, the town and parish contained, 



young men of the army, and made them sacrifice to Houses, 589 



friendship before they engaged in battle. In this man- Families, 618 



ner, the republic of Crete had maintained her liberty Ditto employed in trade and manufacture^, 308 



for ten centuries against every foreign invader. The Ditto in agriculture, 281 



manners of the Cretans, however, had greatly degene- Total population in 1811, ., 3021 



rated from their ancient probity and simplicity. The See Collinson's History of Somersetshire. .(;') 

 love of justice had given place to that of gam; and CRICHTON, James, a celebrated Scotch author, 

 knavery and piracy had become then only occupations, who, from the extraordinary nature both of his mental 

 Their character, indeed, had become proverbially infa- and corporeal endowments, obtained the name of the 

 mous, and K^; wgx; 'Aiyir/rrw, had nearly the«ame im- Admirable Crichton. He was born in the year 1551, 

 port as our " set a thief to catch a thief." But the or, according to some, in August 1 560, and was de- 

 Romans were now extending their conquests over the scended from respectable parents, who resided in the 

 world ; and the Cretans having been accused of favour- county of Perth. After receiving his grammatical edu- 

 ing the enemies of Rome in the war against Mithridates, cation in the town of Perth, he was sent to St Andrew's 

 their subjugation was determined upon, and war was to study philosophy, in which he made rapid progress, 

 immediately declared. Marcus Antonius (the father of under the able direction of Rutherford, Buchanan, Hep- 

 the triumvir,) was accordingly appointed to conduct an burn, and Robertson ; and before he had reached hk 



Crete 



Crichton. 



