DEC oe 
. The decempeda \ was ufed both i in meafuring of land, like 
a adica cacy of the building of his time, 
that i was otherwife in the times of Romulus 
nd Cato; that in the houfes of private perfons there were 
not then known any yorices) meafured out with the de- 
cempeda, nor turned tothe north to take the cool air. 
DECEMSEPTIMA, in Ancient Geography, a ‘oma of 
Spain, belonging to the Cofetani, . E. of Tarraco. 
DECEM-TALES, in Law, a writ that iffues dire&ted 
to the fherif, whereby he is commanded to make a fupply 
of jurymen, when a fufficient number toe not appear on - 
a trial at bar. 
DECEMVIRI, an order of annual magiftrates among 
the Romans, created with a fovereign power to draw up an 
make laws for the people; thus called, becaufe their num- 
ber was ten. 
To the decemviri was given all the eral authority 
and after them by the 
ofe who drew up the laws of the 
alled eae leges decemvirales, which for 
See 
ece 
‘Twelve Tables, c 
a none eae time were the whole of the Roman law. 
Tasi 
Tn ae year 302, the confuls Appius Claudius Craffiaius, 
o abdicate, 
fide 
fingle slices, oe creat 
f law 78, W ere ratified b 
the people at the a curiata,’? in the. € co epotacn oe 
which they are faid to have had the afliftance of one Hermo- 
dorus, an Ephefian exile, who ferved them as an interpre-’ 
ter; and as two other tables feemed to be wanting, decem- 
viri were again created for another year to make them; and 
in the year 304, another fet was to have been chofen, but 
that cag people ro i made them lay down, and refumed the 
confu e exceflive debauchery of Appius Claudius 
Craffinius, one ke the confuls, who was frit obliged to ab- 
dicate, and w been chofen firlt decemvir three phage 
was ae pal cae of all this. Cicero De Finib. lib. i 
Halicarnafleus, lib. x. and Florus, lib. i. 
= 
a 
wy 
for) 
e€ decemviral aie alban: however, it is to be ob- 
ferved, had not its firft rife at the time when the authority 
fenate then took upon them, ts called by ie peewee 
lib. ii. werpare becaufe the fenators, divided into ten 
commande in their turn: that is, one of each ten, 
for five days tec a, having the Galces, lictors, &c. 
like the kin 
here a allo oot oo ; and on divers emer- 
viri were cre to mazage and regulate cer- 
i es manner as boards o 
cafes of litigation, under the queftor and pretor ; 
_ for os the lands among Ge veteran foldiers ; 3 des 
DEC 
cemviri to prepare and a at feafls in honour of the 
Rods ; decemviri to han e of the facrifices; and deceme 
viri to Keep the Sibyls 
metimes, in lieu - decemvin they only created feps 
temvirl or triumviri, or duumviri, &c. 
DECENNALIA, in Anas feafls which the Roman 
emperors held every tenth year - their reigu, with facrificesy 
games, largeffes, to the people, 
Augu ae was the author or nee cuftom, which was after« 
a imitated by his fucceffors. 
the fame time they likewife offered vows for the em 
oer and the perpetuity of his empire, called vota fcc: 
nalia. 
From the time = eee cas we a thefe ceremos 
nies marked on DECENNALES, SECUNDI 
VOTA SOls DECEN. 11, VOTA SVSCEP. Die 
Thefe vowg muft have been made at the beginning of 
every tenth year; for on a medal of Pertinax, who f{carcely 
reigned four months, we find voTA DECENN. and voTIS 
DECENNALIBUS. 
Struvius is of opinion, that thefe vows took place of thofe 
which the cenfor ufed to make in the nary ‘ ae republics 
or the apes apie and prelervation ther effet, the 
were not only made tn of the cones = alfo of the 
ftate, as may be obferved fon Dion. lib. viii. and Pliny the 
yo yak lib. x. ep. 
uftus’s aim in eltablifi ing the decennalia, was to pres 
ferve ine empire, and the fovereign power, withcut offence 
or reftraint to the people. For, during the celebration of 
this feaft, that prince ufed to furrerder up all his authority 
into the hands of the people,who, filled with joy, ot charme 
with the goodnefs of Auguttus, immediately delivered it to 
him back again 
DECENNA RY, Decennaria, the limits or compafs of ten 
fribur a sping ng c oe widen’ of ten 
smiles of rf eeholders. Ten ti things compofed an hundred. 
The inftitution . decennarics (or ane spledger)i is eribed 
o Alfred. In thefe decennaries the whole vicinity or tithing 
of fae were ie pledges for the good behaviour of 
each other. See Deciners, and TiTHine. 
DECENNOVIDM, in Ancient sae a Pay of 19 
miles from Forum Appii to Terracina, on € 
barked in the night. The mei novium me 
Dion Coffius, and Caffiod 
5 
DECEPTION Bay, in Geography, a bay on the weft 
coal of North eat in the North Pacific ocean. N. lat 
46° ro’. W. long. 
Decerprion, Cape, a cape in Solomon’s ifles. &. lat. 8° 32’ 
30”. E, long. 157° 2’ 14", 
ae SPTIONE, in Law, a writ which properly lies 
for one that receives harm or damage, by him that does any 
aos deceitfully i in the name of anot 
is writ is either original or judicial Oid Nat. Br. fol. 
Fitz. Nat. Br. fol. 95- ai Bag. of Writs, fol. 112. 
and Reg. Judicial. See 
» in Aad: ‘Geng, Decize, a town 
eee 
‘Gaul, in Lvonnenfis prima. It belonged to the Aiduani, 
- was yee on the Liger, S.E. of Noviodurum. See 
CISE. 
DECHA ALES, Cuaup Francis Miturer, in Biogrie 
Ay, an excellent mathematician was born at Chamberry, 
the capital of Savoy, in 1611, He read leStures inthe col- 
Bb lege 
