s o c 



are explained at large in their Catechifm, printed feveral 

 times under the title of " Catechefis Ecclefiarum Poloni- 

 carum, unum Deum Patrem, ilhufque Filium unigonitum, 

 una cum Sanfto Spiritu, ex facra Scriptura cor.fitentium." 

 See Catechifm of Racow. 



The Socinians, like other fefts diftinguifhed by one 

 o-eneral denomination, are divided into feveral parties. 

 Some differ from Socinus with regard to the worfhip of 

 Chrill ; fome deny the eternity of the future pur'fliiiient of 

 the wicked ; and fome apprehend it contradidory to main- 

 tain God's foreknowledge of future contingencies, &c. See 

 BuDN^ANS, Farnovians, and Semijudaizers. 



The chief fchool of the Socinians was at Racow, where 

 they obtained the grant of a fettlement, and there all their 

 firll books were publiihed. But in the year 1638, in con- 

 fequence of the intemperate zeal of fome (tudents of the 

 Unitarian academy in this city againit Popery, a law was 

 enafted at Warfaw, by which it was decreed, that the aca- 

 demy of Racow fhould be dellroyed, its profeiTors baniihed, 

 the pnnting-houfe of the Socinians dellroyed, and their 

 churches fliut up. This law was immediately executed ; 

 and fimilar edicts were enaded in other parts of Poland. 

 In 1658 another fevere aft was publiflied by a diet held at 

 Warfaw, requiring all the Socinians to leave the kingdom 

 for ever, and denouncing capital punilhment againll all who 

 (hould profefs their opinions, or harbour their perfons. 

 This terrible edift was renewed in 1661 ; and in confequence 

 of thefe meafurcs, the Socinians fought an afylum among 

 their brethren in Tranfylvania : a confiderable number was 

 difperfed througrh the adjacent provinces of Silefia, Brandeii- 

 burgh, and Pruflia, where their pollerity Itill fubfill. 

 Others repaired to Holland and England. In Tranfylvania 

 they ftill continue numerous ; and are much at their eafe. 

 In Holland their number is not confiderable ; and all who 

 profefs themfelves fuch are by law excluded from the general 

 toleration which prevails in that kingdom. They are called 

 Collegians. 



As to the prefent ftate of the Socinians in Poland, a late 

 writer obferves, that fince their fuppreffion they have had 

 churches, which have adembled in private houfes, woods, 

 or fields, as opportunity permitted ; and thefe alTemblies 

 have been condufted under the infpeftion of regular mi- 

 nilters, educated at Leyden and Amlterdam. Since the 

 edift of 1661, they have been included by the Romifh party 

 under the gencial name of Diffidents : however, in thofe 

 parts of Poland, which by the late partition fell to the lot 

 of Pruflia, Ruflia, or the emperor, tlicy have now their 

 liberty in common with their other diffident brethren, and 

 their public places of worfhip. The only fociety of Socinians 

 in England was that formed by Mr. John Biddle, under the 

 patronage of Mr. Thomas Firmin, and his adherents were 

 called Bidellians ; but this name was loll in the more com- 

 mon appellation of Socinians, or, what they preferred. Uni- 

 tarians. They differed from Socinus, and the foreign 

 Unitarians, in maintaining the perfoiiality of the Holy 

 Spirit. This fociety does not appear to have fubfiilcd after 

 the death of Biddle ; nor have the Socinians, though their 

 fentimtiits have been adopted by feveral, made any figure as 

 a community in England. The moil dilling-uiflied Socinian 

 writers, in Poland, were Crelliu.'., Smalcius, Volkelius, 

 Slichtingius, Wolzogenius, Przipcovius, and Staniflaiis 

 Lubiaiiicius : to this number fome have added Grotius ; 

 and in later times we might enumerate Ee Cltrc, Biddle, 

 Lardner, Lowman, Fleming, I^indfey, Priefiley, &c. Sec 

 on this fubjcft Socini Oper. torn. i. and ii. paffim. Mo- 

 ftitim's Eccl. Hill. vol. iv. p. 167, &c. 8vo. Toulmin's 

 Life of Socinus, paflim. See Unitaiuans. 



s o c 



SOCK. See Soccus. 



Sock and Scythe-Land. See HusBAND-Lan^. 



Sock, in Agriculture, provincially the fhare of a plough, 

 er that part that opens the land ; but properly the iron 

 part, or fock, which is put upon it. They are of different 

 kinds, as fharp-pointed and feathered on the edge, &c. 



The iharp-pointed fock is the mofl proper and befl 

 adapted for all the rough ftoHy forts of land, being the leaft 

 in danger of being thrown out of work in them. They arCt 

 therefore, the moll commonly employed. The feather- 

 edged fock is the moll ufeful in all fuch foils as are in a 

 great meafure free from flones, though they may be rough 

 on the top. They are, however, occafionally made ufe of 

 in other circumllances and cafes. The feathers of them 

 vary confiderably in their nature and forms ; fome being 

 fmaU and flat, others large and upright, fo as to fuit dif- 

 ferent purpofes and intentions. 



There is alfo a mixed kind of fock, which has net only a 

 pointed part, but a feathered one likewife. This is found 

 very ufeful in ploughing, in many cafes, where the lands are 

 of the lefs flony kinds. 



All the different kinds of focks fhould be made in fuch a 

 manner as to fit the fheath, or fore-part of the head of the 

 plough in the mofl exaft manner, as much in the bufinefs 

 of ploughing depends upon this being nicely adjufled. See 

 Plough. 



Sock, Paring, that fort of fock which is made ufe of oa 

 any common plough, for the purpofe of paring off the fur- 

 face of fward land. A fock of this kind may be feen at 

 fg. 9. Plate Paring Ploughs, which has an upright cut- 

 ting feather, with an outlide cutting wing, and a middle 

 hollow part to be put upon the fheath or head of any com- 

 mon plough. It is very convenient and ufeful on many 

 occafions, as it is capable of being employed upon any 

 plough which the farmer may chance to have by him. 



SbCKE, the drainage of a farm-yard, or any other yard 

 where dung is iaid. See Y AKM-Tard. 



SocKE-Pit, the receiver or receptacle of the farm-yard 

 drainage or liquids. 



SOCKET. Ball and focket. See Ball. 



SOCKETS, in a Ship, are the holes "vhich the pintles 

 of the murthering pieces go into. 



SOCKIA, in Geography, a town of Arabia, in the pro- 

 vince of Hedsjas ; 75 miles S. of Medina. 



SOCKNA, a town of Africa, in Fezzan ; 150 miles 

 N.N.W. of Mourzouk. 



SOCLE, or ZocLE, in ylrrbiltauie, a flat, fquare mem- 

 ber under the bales of pedcllals, of flatues, vafes, &c. 

 which it ferves as a foot, or lland. 



The word is French, formed from the Italian ■x.tccoh, or 

 the Latin yorcwj, the fhoe of the ancient comic aftors. Vi- 

 truvius calls it quadra ; we frequently denominate it plinth. 



Socle, Continued, is a kind of continued Hand, or pe- 

 deflal, without either bafe or corniche, ranging round the 

 whole building; called, by V'nr\i\\as, Jlereobata ; and, by 

 the French, fouhaj'cmtnt. 



SOCLO, in Geography, a river on the coaft of the illand 

 of Muidoro, which runs into the fca, N. lat. 22° 56'. E. 

 long. 121° 15'. 



SOCMEN, or SoKKMEN, Sccmanni, fuch tenants as 

 held their lands and tenements in focitge ; but the tenants in 

 ancient demefne fecm mofl properly to be called /m man/. 

 Sec Soc and Villenaok. 



SOCNA, in our Old Writers, a privilege, liberty, or 

 franchife. The word is Saxon 



SOCO, in Ornithology, the nnme of a Brafiliau bird of 

 the heron-kind, the ardca Brafiiienjit of Linnxus, icmark- 



ablei 



