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SEDGEFIELD, in Geography, a market-town in the 

 north-ealt divifion of Stockton ward, county palatine of Dur- 

 ham, England, is fituatsd at the dillance of II miles S.E. 

 by E. from Durham, and 255 N. by ^V. from London. The 

 pofition of this town is one of the fineft that can be ima- 

 gined, being that of the fummit of a gentle fwell, fur- 

 rounded on all fides by a country in the highelt Itate of 

 cultivation. On the fouth and fouth-eaft; is a dehghtful 

 profpeft of Cleveland, Rofcberry-Topping, and a long 

 range of lotty hills, with the borders of the river Tees, 

 down to the German ocean ; on the fouth-weft is a beauti- 

 ful country decked with a variety of fine feats ; and on 

 the north and north-eaft appear the towns of Bifliop Mid- 

 dleham, and Fiihburn and Trimdon. The celebrated Dr. 

 Afliew called Sedgefield the Montpelier of the north of 

 England, and very frequently recommended his patients to 

 it for the benefit of the air. In the centre of the town is a 

 fpacious market-place ornanientcd with a handiome crofs. 

 On one fide of it ftands the church, which confills of a 

 nave, tranfept, chancel, and three aifles, with a lofty tower 

 rifing from the interfeftion of the nave and tranfept. The 

 pillars of the interior are cluttered, and fupport light 

 pointed arches. Between the nave and the chancel is a rich 

 fcreen of tabernacle work in oak, having three Italls on each 

 fide, divided by beautiful liglit columns, and covered with 

 canopies. The whole chancel is wainfcotted with oak, 

 pannelled, and ornamented with cherubs. In this church 

 were formerly two chantries, one dedicated to St. Ca- 

 tharine, and the other to St. Thomas ; alfo a guild, de- 

 dicated to St. Mary. Here are numerous monuments ; 

 and among others two curious brades, reprefenting llceleton 

 figures in winding (heets. 



Sedgefield became a market and fair-town in 13 12, by 

 grant from bifhop Kellawe. The market-day is Friday, 

 weekly ; and the fair is held on the eve of St. Edmund. 

 Here is an hofpital, founded by the trullees of Thomas 

 Cooper, furgeon of this place, who died in 1703 ; alfo a 

 free grammar-fchool, fituated near the church. According 

 to the parliamentary returns of 181 1, this town contained 

 291 houles, and a population of 1 307 inhabitants. The 

 Hiilory and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham, 

 by William Hntchiiifon, F.A.S. vol. iii. 4to. 1794. 



SEDGE R River, a river of Patagonia, which runs 

 into the Straits of Magellan. Its water is excellent, 

 and on each fide are very fine trees, which commodore 

 Byron fays, would fupply tlie Britilh navy with the bed 

 mails in the world : fome of them being of a great height, 

 and more than eight feet in diameter. Among thefe woods 

 arc many parrots, and other birds of moll beautiful plumage. 

 Geefe, ducks, and fifli, and frefh provifions are abundant. 

 The traces of wild beads were perceived in the fand, but 

 none were fecn. Many huts and wigwams were feen, but 

 no Indian was obferved. The mouth of this river is in 

 the W. part of Port Famine. 



SEDGMOOR, a large traft of Englifh land, in the 

 county of Somerfet, memorable for the defeat of the duke 

 of Monmouth in the year 1685 ; fituated betv/een Somerton 

 and Bridijewater. 



SEDGWARA, a town of Hiiidoollan, in Guzcrat ; 

 20 miles E. of Surat. 



SEDGWICK, a town of America, in tlie Hate of 

 Maine and county of Hancock, on Nafkcag Point, which 

 bounds Penobfcot on the N.E., extending to the town of 

 Penobfcot, and diftant 31^ miles E. from Bolton. It con- 

 tains 1352 inhabitants. 



SEDHOUT, a town of Hindooftan, in the circar of 

 Cuddapa ; 6 miles N.E. of Cuddapa. 



SEDILO, a town of the ifland of Sardinia j 30 miles 

 N.E. of Oriltagni. 



SEDIMENT, formed from the LaUn /edimenttm, which 

 Matthias Sylvaticus derives a diutruna fede, the fettlement 

 or dregs of any thing ; or that grofs, heavy part of a 

 fluid body which, upon refilling, finks to the bottom of the 

 veflel. 



Some phyficians have found means to difcover much of 

 the nature of the difeafe, from the fediment of the urine. 

 Dr. Woodward maintains, that, at the deluge, the whole 

 terreltrial globe was diilolved into one uniform mafs ; and 

 that the new world, arifing thence, was perfeftly fpherical, 

 and without any inequalities, confiding of feveral drata, 

 which the earthy fediment gradually produced, as it 

 drained. 



SEDINA, in the Malcria Medica, a word ufed by fome 

 writers to exprefs dragon's blood. 



SEDINI, in Geography, a town of the ifland of Sar- 

 dinia ; 10 miles S.E. of Cartel Aragonefe. 



SEDITION, among Civilians, is ufed for an irregular 

 commotion of the people, or an affembly of a number of 

 citizens without lawful authority, tending to didurb the 

 peace and order of fociety. See Rebellion. 



This offence is of different kinds : fome feditions more 

 immediately threatening the fupreme power, and the fub- 

 verfion of the prefent conditution of the date ; others 

 tending only towards the redrefs of private grievances. 

 Among the Romans, therefore, it was varioufly punifhed, 

 according as its end and tendency threatened greater mif- 

 chief. (See lib. i. Cod. de Seditiofis, and Matth. de 

 Crimin. lib. ii. n. 5. de Lasfa Majedate. ) In the punifii- 

 ment, the authors and ringleaders were judly didinguifhed 

 from thofe, who, with lefs wicked intention, joined and 

 made part of the multitude. 



The fame didinftion holds in the law of England, and 

 in that of Scotland. Some kinds of fcdition in England 

 amount to high treafon, and come within the dat. 2C Ed- 

 ward III. as levying war againft the king. And feveral 

 feditions are mentioned in the Scottifh afts of parliament 

 as treafonable. (Bayne's Crim. Law of Scotland, p. 33, 34.) 

 The law of Scotland makes riotous and tumultuous af- 

 femblies a fpecies of fedition. But the law there, as well 

 as in England, is now chiefly regulated by the riot aft 

 made i Geo. I. ; only it is to be obferved, that the proper 

 officers in Scotland to make the proclamation thereby enafted, 

 are fheriffs, dewards, and baihes of regalities, or their de- 

 puties ; magidrates of royal boroughs, and all other in- 

 ferior judges and magidrates ; high and petty condablcs, 

 or other officers of the peace, in any county, llewartry, 

 city, or town. And in that part of the ifland the punifli- 

 ment of the offence is death, and confifcation of moveables: 

 in England it is felony. See Riot. 



SEDLEY, Sir CilAliI.ES, in Biography, a dramatic 

 writer, born in 1639, was fon of fir .Tolni Sedley of Aylef- 

 ford, in Kent. He was educated at Wadham college, 

 Oxford, and after leaving the univerfity, he palled his time 

 in retirement till the redoration. On that event he came 

 to court, and was one of the licentious circle round 

 Charles H. His fird cfT^iys in writing were fome amatory 

 poems, chiefly didinguifhed by their vohiptuons cad. At 

 tliis period of his lite he was guilty of fome public in- 

 decency, on account of which he was fined joo/. Sir 

 Charles's fortune being impaired by this courfe of life, he 

 got into the houfe of commons, and he fat in three par- 

 liaments during that reign, in which he was frequently 

 fpeaker. In the following reign he took a patriotic part, 

 which would have been highly to his credit, if private pique 



had 



