cou 
c o u 
445 
covers to a large size, The-nose and space 
contiguous to the eyes are furnished with 
short sharp spines ; the covers of the gills are 
terminated by exceeding long ones, which 
are both strong and very sharp-pointed. The 
mouth is large, the jaws covered with very 
small teeth ; the root of the mouth is furnish- 
ed with a triangular spot of very minute 
1 teeth. This species is very frequent in the 
1 Newfoundland seas, where it is called scol- 
[ ping : it is also as common on the coast of 
1 Greenland, in deep water near the shore. It 
is a principal food of the natives, and the 
i soup made of it is said to be agreeable as 
well as wholesome. 
CO TULA, may-weed; a genus of the 
polygamia supcriiua order, in the syngenesia 
class of plants. The receptacle is almost 
naked ; the pappus marginated ; the florets of 
the disc quadrifid, of the radius frequently 
none. There are 15 species, most of them 
herbaceous annuals, rising six or eight inches 
high, and adorned with yellow flowers. None 
of them are natives of this country, and most 
of them require artificial heat. 
Cotula, or Cotyla, in antiquity, a liquid 
measure among the Greeks, equal to the he- 
mina of the Homans, containing half a sex- 
tary, or four acetabula : hence it appears 
that it contained ten ounces of wine, and nine 
of oil. It is observed that the cotula was used 
as a dry measure as well as a liquid one, from 
the authority of Thucydides, who in one 
place mentions two cotula: of wine, and in 
another two cotula: of bread. 
COTYLEDON, navel-wort ; a genus of 
the pentagynia order in the decandria class of 
plants; and in the natural method ranking 
under the 13th order, succulents?. The ca- 
lyx is quinquefid; the corolla monopetalous: 
there are five nectariferous scales at the base 
of the germen, and live capsules. There 
are nineteen species, most of them succulent 
perennials for the green-house ; though some 
require to be kept in a stove. They rise 
from half a foot to a yard, and a half high, 
and are adorned with yellow flowers growing 
in umbels. They are easily propagated, either 
by seed or cuttings of their branches. 
COUCH, in painting, a term used for each 
lay or impression of colour, either in oil or 
water, with which the painter covers his can- 
vas, wall, wainscot, or other matter to be 
painted. The word is also used for a lay or 
impression on any thing, to make it more 
firm and consistent, or to screen it from the 
weather. Tims, paintings are covered with 
a couch of varnish ; a canvas to be painted 
must have two couches of size, before the co- 
lours are laid on ; two or three couches of 
white lead are laid on wood, before the gold 
is applied. The leather-gilders lay a couch 
of water and w hites of eggs on the leather, 
before they apply the gold or silver leaf. The 
gold wire-drawers also use the word couch 
for the gold or silver leaf, wherewith they co- 
ver the mass to be gilded or silvered. The 
gilders use the term couch, for the quantity 
of gold and silver leaves applied on. the me- 
tals in gilding and silvering. It is often vul- 
garly pronounced coat. 
COUCH ANT, in heraldry, is understood 
of a lion, or other beast, when lying down, 
but with his head raised ; which distinguishes 
the posture of couchant from dormant, wherein 
he is supposed quite stretched out and asleep. 
COU CHE', in heraldry, denotes any thing 
| lying along: thus, chevron couche is a 
chevron lying sideways, with the two ends 
on one side of the shield, which should pro- 
perly rest bn the base. 
COUCHING of a cataract, in surgery, 
one of the two chief methods of curing a ca- 
taract, by couching with the needle. See 
Surgery. 
COVENANT, the agreement or consent 
of two or more by deed in writing, sealed and 
delivered ; whereby either, or one of the par- 
ties, promises to the other, that something is 
done already, or shall be done aftenvahds : he 
that makes the covenant, is called the cove- 
nantor, and lie to whom it is made the cove- 
nantee. Sliep. Touch. 160. 
A covenant is generally either in fact, or in 
law. In fact, is that which is expressly agreed 
between the parties, and inserted in the deed. 
Inlaw, is that covenant which, the law intends 
and implies, though it be not expressed in 
words ; as if a lessor demise and grant to his 
lessee, an house or lands for a certain term, 
the law will intend a covenant on the lessor’s 
part, that the lessee shall, during the term, 
quietly enjoy the same against all incum- 
brances. 1 Inst. 3S4. 
Covenant to stand seised to uses, 
is when a man that has a wife, children, bro- 
ther, sister, or kindred, by covenant in writ- 
ing under hand and seal agrees, that for their, 
or any of their provision or preferment, he or 
his heirs, will stand seised of .land to their use, 
either in fee-simple, fee-tail, or for life. 
CO-VERSED sine, in geometry, the re- 
maining part of the diameter of a circle, after 
the versed sine is taken from it. See Tri- 
gonometry. 
COVERT WAY, or Corridor, in fortifi- 
cation, a space of ground, level with the field, 
on tiie edge of the ditch, three or four fa- 
thoms broad, ranging quite round the half- 
moons, and other works toward the country. 
It lias a parapet raised on a level, together 
with its banquets and glacis. The greatest 
fifiort in sieges, is to make a lodgment on the 
covert-way, because the besieged usually pa- 
lisade it along the middle, and undermine it 
on all sides. 
COVERTURE, in law, is applied to the 
condition of a married woman, who by the 
laws of this realm is sub potestate viri, and 
therefore disabled to make bargain with any, 
to the prejudice of herself or her husband, 
without his assent and privity, or at least with- 
out his allowance and confirmation. 
COUGH, tassis, in medicine, a convul- 
sive motion of the diaphragm, muscles of the 
larynx, thorax, and abdomen, violently shak- 
ing, and expelling the air that was drawn 
into the lungs by inspiration. See Medi- 
cine. 
COVIN, is a deceitful assent or agreement 
between two or more, to the prejudice of an- 
other. As if a tenant-for term of life, or te- 
nant in tail, will secretly conspire with another, 
that the other will recover against the tenant for 
life, the lands which he holds, &c. in preju- 
dice of him in the reversion. 
COULTER, in husbandry, an iron instru- 
ment, fixed in the beam of a plough, and 
serving to cut the edge of each furrow. 
COUNCIL, Common, in the city of Lon- 
don, is a court wherein are made all bye-laws 
which bind the citizens. It consists, like the 
parliament, of two houses: an upper, com- 
posed of the lord-mayor and aldermen ; and 
a 
c o u 
a lower, of a number of commor.-council- 
men chosen bv the several wards,, as repre- 
sentatives of the body of the citizens. 
Council, Privy, the executive part of the 
civil government ot Great Britain. It is 
composed of eminent persons, the number of 
whom is at the sovereign’s pleasure, who are 
bound by oath to advise the king to the best 
of their judgment, with all the fidelity and se- 
crecy that becomes their station. I he king 
may declare to, or conceal from, his privy- 
council whatever lie thinks fit ; and has a se- 
lect council out of their number commonly 
called the cabinet-council, (generally the 
principal officers of state) with whom his ma- 
jesty determines such matters as are most 
important, and require the utmost secrecy. 
All proclamations from the king and the privy- 
council ought to be grounded on law, other- 
wise they are not binding to the subject. 
Privy-counsellors, though but gentlemen, 
have precedence of all the knights and 
younger sons of barons and viscounts, and are 
styled right honourable. 
Council of war, an assembly of the prin- 
cipal officers of an army or fleet, occasionally 
called by the general or admiral to concert 
measures for their conduct with regard to 
sieges, retreats, engagements, &c. 
Council, in church-history, an assembly 
of prefates and doctors, met for the regu- 
lating matters relating to the doctrine, or dis- 
cipline, of the church. 
Council, oecumenical, or general, is arr 
assembly which represents the whole body ot 
the universal church. I he Romanists reckon 
eighteen of them ; Ballinger, in his treatise 
de Conciliis, six ; Dr. Prideaux, seven ; and 
bishop Beveridge has increased the number 
to eight, which, he says, are all the general 
councils which have ever been held since the 
time of the first Christian emperor. They are 
as follows: 1. The council of Nice, held in 
the reign of Constantine the Great, on ac- 
count of the heresy of Arius. 2. The coun- 
cil of Constantinople, called under the reign 
and by the command ofTheodosius the Great, 
for much the same end that the former coun- 
cil was summoned. 3. The council of Ephe- 
sus, convened by Theodosius the A ounger, at 
the suit of Nestorius. 4. The council of 
Chalcedon, held in the reign of Martianus„ 
which approved of the Eutycliian heresy. 
5. The second council of Constantinople, as- 
sembled by the emperor Justinian, condemn- 
ed the three chapters taken out of the books 
of Theodorus of Mopsuestia, having first de- 
cided that it was lawful to anathematize the 
dead. Some authors tell us, that they like- 
wise condemned the several errors of Origen 
about the Trinity, the plurality of worlds, and 
the pre-existence of souls. 6. 1 He third, 
council of Constantinople,., held by the com- 
mand of Constantine Pogonatus the emperor, 
in which they received the definitions of the 
first five general councils, and particularly 
that against Origen and r i heodorus of Mop- 
suestia. 7. The second Nicene council. 
8-. The fourth council of Constantinople, as- 
sembled when Lewis II. was emperor of the 
Wf :st. The regulations which they made are 
contained in twenty-seven canons. 
COUNSEL, for prisoners. The judges • 
never scruple to allow a prisoner counsel, to 
instruct him what questions to ask, or even to 
ask questions for him with respect to matters 
of fact ; for as to matters of law, arising on .the 
