V E S 



derives it from vejlis and ambulo; becaufe people there be- 

 gin to let their trains fall. 



The Romans had places called veftibules, at the entrance 

 of their houfes, to fhelter people obhged to ftand at the 

 door from the weather ; and we have ftill veftibules of the 

 like kind, in many old churches, houfes, &c. called 

 porches. 



Veftibules only intended for magnificence, are ufually 

 between the court and the garden : thefe are fometimesy??n- 

 pU ; that is, liave their oppofite fides equally enriched with 

 arches ; and fometimcs their plan is not contained under 

 four equal hnes, or a circular one, but forms feveral van- 

 corps, and rear-corps, furnifhed with pilafters. 



Vestibule is alfo ufed for a kind of little anti-chamber 

 before the entrance of an ordinary apartment. 



Vestibule is alfo an apartment in large buildings, which 

 prefents itfelf at the entrance into a hall or fuitc of rooms, 

 or offices. The area, in which a magnificent ftaircafe is 

 carried up, i? fometimes called a veftibule. And alfo when 

 the ends of corridores, or paflages, terminate in a room, 

 without being feparated from them by doors, either to 

 receive light or air, or for appearance ; fuch rooms are 

 called veftibules. 



VESTIBULUM, in ylnatomy, a cavity belonging to 

 the labyrinth of the ear. See Ear. 



VESTIGIA, a Latin term frequently ufed by Englidi 

 writers, to Cgnify the traces or footfteps any thing has left 

 behind it. 



The word is particularly applied to the marks remaining 

 of fomething antique, gone to ruin by time. 



VESTINCH, in Geography, a town of Bofnia ; 44 

 miles S. of Bihacs. 



VESTINI, in Ancient Geography, a people of Italy, re- 

 garded as Samnites ; but being of Sabin origin, they were 

 fometimes comprehended under the name of Marfi. They 

 were fituated between the Praetulii, Marracini and Pehgni. 



VESTINUS, a mountain of Italy, in the environs of 

 Minturna. — Alfo, a river of Italy, in Campania, which dif- 

 charged itfelf into the Sarnus. 



VESTIS Angelia. See Angelic Garment. 



VESTITZA, in Geography, a town of European Tur- 

 key, in the Morea ; 44 miles E.N.E. of Chiarenza. 



VESTMENT. See Vesture. 



VESTRY, Vestiaria, a room adjoining to a church, 

 where the priefts' veftments, and the facred utenfils, are 

 kept, and parochial affemblies are held. 



Hence the term veftry is applied to the parochial affem- 

 bly itfelf. On th? Sunday before a veftry is to meet, public 

 notice ought to be given, either in the church, after divine 

 fervice is ended, or elfe at the church door, as the pa- 

 rifliioners come out, both of the calling of the faid meeting, 

 and alfo the time and place of aflembhng it, and fometimes 

 of the bufinefs for which it is convened. And it is ufual, 

 for half an hour before it begins, to give notice, by tolling 

 one of the church bells. Anciently, at the common law, 

 every pariftiioner who paid to the church rates, or fcot and 

 lot, and no other perfon, had a right to come to thefe meet- 

 ings, the minifter excepted, who is refponfible to the bifhop, 

 whether he be reftor or vicar, for his attendance, and who 

 prefides in evsry parifti meeting. Out-dwellers alfo, oc- 

 cupying land 'n the parifti, have a vote in the veftry, as 

 well as the inhabitants ; and when they are met, the major 

 part prt-fent will bind the whole pariih. The power of ad- 

 journing the veftry is not in the minifter or any other per- 

 on as chairman, nor in the churchwardens, but in the whole 

 affembly, to be decided by a majority of votes. Every 

 veftry aft, in order to prevent difputes, ftiould be entered 



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in the parifh-book of accounts, and every man's hand 

 confenting to it be fet thereto. Bum's Eccl. Law, art. 

 Vejlry. 



VF.sTV.\-Men, a feleft number of the principal perfons 

 of every parifti witliin the city of London, and elfewhere ; 

 who yearly choofe parifti-officers, and take care of its 

 concernments. 



They are thus called, becaufe they ufually meet in the 

 veftry of the church. 



By thefe feleft veftries, the parifhioners have in fome 

 places loft not only their right to concur in the public ma- 

 nagement as often as they would attend, but alfo the right 

 of elefting the managers. And yet fuch a cuftom of the 

 government of parifhes hath been adjudged a good cuftom, 

 as the churchwardens accounting to them has been adiudged 

 a good account. In fome parifties, thefe feleft veftries have 

 been thought opprefTive and injurious, and great ftruggles 

 have been made to fet them afide. Prefcription and con- 

 ftant immemorial ufage feem to be the bafis and only fupport 

 of thefe feleft veftries. In the aft of the 10 Ann. c. 1 1. for 

 building fifty new churches, tlie commiflloners are em- 

 powered to appoint a convenient number of fufficient in- 

 habitants to be veftry-men ; and from time to time, upon 

 the death or removal, or other voidance, of any fuch veftry- 

 man, the reft, or majority of them, may choofe another. 

 In the feveral private afts for building particular churches, 

 fometimes the minifter, churchwardens, overfeers of the 

 poor and others, who have ferved or paid fines for being ex- 

 cufed from ferving thefe offices ; fometimes the minifter, 

 churchwardens, overfeers of the poor, and all who pay to 

 the poor rate ; fometimes only all who pay a certain fum to 

 the poor rate ; fometimes all who rent houfes of fo much a 

 year, are appointed to be veftry-men within fuch pariflies, 

 and no other perfons. 



Yestrv -Cleri, an officer chofen by the veftry, who keeps 

 the parifti accounts, and who has the cuftody of all books 

 and papers relating to them. The beadle is alfo chofen by 

 the veftry ; and his bufinefs is to attend the veftry to give 

 notice to the parifttioners when and where it is to meet, and 

 to execute its orders as their melfenger or fervant. 



VESTURE, Vestment, a garment or clotliing. 



In our law-books, it is alfo ufed metaphorically ; as in 

 vejlura term, i. e. fegetes giiibus terra vejlitur ; the corn with 

 which the earth is clothed, or covered. 



Vesture of an Acre of Land, is the produce on it ; or 

 the wood, corn, &c. growing on it. It fliall be enquired 

 how much the vefture of an acre of ground, and how much 

 the land, &c. 4 Ed. I. 14 Ed. III. &c. 



Vesture, Veflura, alfo fignifies a pofteffion, or feifin. 



In which fenfe it is borrowed from the feudifts ; with 

 whom inveflitura fignifies a delivery of pofteffion by a fpear, 

 or ftaff ; and -veflura, the pofteffion itielf. See Investi- 

 ture. 



VESUBIA, in Geography, a river of France, which 

 runs into the Var ; 8 miles N. of Nice. 



VESUBIANI, in Ancient Geography, a people belong- 

 ing to Italy, though they were inhabitants of Liguria. 



VESULIO, in Geography, a mountain of France, in 

 the department of the Stura. It is a part of the Alps. 



VESULUS MoNS, Mount Vifo, in Ancient Geography, 

 a mountain of Gallia Tranfpadana, in which was the fource 

 of the Padus or Po. 



VESUNI, a people of Africa, in Mauritania Tingitana. 

 Pliny. 



VESUNNA, afterwards Pelrocorii, the capital of the 

 Petrocorii, according to Ptolemy. The veftiges of the an- 

 cient town, ftill fubfifting at Perigueux, are called La Vifone. 

 II VESU- 



