cou 
cou 
etciitclieon is divided into twelve pales part- 
ed perfesse, the two colours being counter- 
changed ; so that the upper are of one co- 
loiu-, and the lower of another. 
Counter part, in music, denotes one 
part to be applied to another. Thus the 
bass is said to be a counter-part to the tre- 
ble. In law, it is the duplicate or copy of 
any indenture or deed. 
Counter passant, is when two lions are 
in a coat of arms, and the one seems to go 
quite the contrary way from the other. 
Counter plea, in law, a cross or contrary 
plea, particularly such as the demandant al- 
leges against a tenant in courtesy, or dower, 
who prays the King’s aid, &c. for his de- 
fence. 
Counter point, in music, the art of com- 
posing harmony, or of disposing several 
parts in such a manner as to make an agree- 
able whole or a concert. In general, every 
harmonious composition, or Composition of 
many parts, is called counter-point. It 
took its name from hence : before notes of 
different measures were invented, the man- 
ner of composing was to set pricks or 
points one against another, to denote the 
several concords. 
Counter pointed, in heraldry, is when 
two chevrons in one escutcheon meet in 
the points, the one rising as usual from the 
base, and the other inverted tailing from 
the chief; so that they are counter to one 
another in the points. They may also be 
counter-pointed when they are founded 
upon the sides of the shield, and the points 
meet that way, called counter-pointed in 
fesse. 
Counter poise is a piece of metal, call- 
ed by some the pear, on account of its 
figure, and the mass, by reason of its weight, 
which sliding along the beam, determines 
the weight of bodies weighed by the statera 
romaua. 
Counter salient, is when two beasts are 
borne in a coat leaping from each other di- 
rectly the contrary way. 
Counter scarp, in fortification, is pro- 
perly the exterior talus or slop of tlie ditch ; 
but it is often taken for the covered way 
and tlie glacis. In this sense we say, the 
enemy have lodged themselves on the coun- 
ter-scarp. 
' COUNTERMAND, in the English law, 
b where a thing before executed is by some 
act or ceremony afterwards made void by 
the party that did it. A countermand may 
be either actual or implied : actual, where 
a power to execute any authority is, by a 
formal writing or deed for that pnrpose, 
put off for a time, or made void : implied, 
when a person makes his last will and testa- 
ment, whereby he devises his land to such 
an one, and afterwards conveys the same 
land to another by feoffment. 
COUNTY, in geography, originally sig- 
nified the territory of a count or earl, but 
now it is used in the same sense with shire. 
See Shire. 
England, for the better government 
thereof, and the more easy administration 
of justice, is divided into 62 counties, each 
whereof is subdivided into rapes, lathes, 
wapentakes, hundreds; and these again in- 
to tythings. For the execution of the laws 
in the several counties, excepting Cumber- 
land, Westmoreland, and Durham, every 
Michaelmas term officers are appointed, 
called sheriffs : other officers of the several 
counties are lord lieutenants, cnstodes rotu- 
lorum, justices of the peace, bailiffs, high 
constables, coroner, clerks of the market, 
&c. Of the 52 counties in England and 
Wales, there are four tenned counties pala- 
tine, viz. Lancaster, Chester, Durham, and 
Ely; these counties are reckoned among 
tlie superior courts, and are privileged as to 
pleas, so that no inhabitant of such coun- 
ties shall be compelled by any writ to ap- 
pear, or answer the same, except for error, 
and in cases of treason, &c. The counties- 
palatine of Durham and Chester are by pre- 
scription, where the King’s writs ought not 
to come, but under the seal of the counties 
palatine, unless it be a writ of proclamation. 
There is a court of Chancery in the coun- 
ties-palatine of Lancaster and Durham, 
over which there are chancellors. Scotland 
is divided into 33 counties, the government 
of which is committed to sheriffs. 
County corporate, a title given to seve- 
ral cities on which the English monarchs 
have thought proper to bestow extraordi- 
nary privileges, annexing to them a parti- 
cular territoi'y of land, or jurisdiction, as 
the county of Middlesex annexed to the 
city of London, the county of the city of 
York, the county of the city of Bristol, 
&c. 
County court, a court of justice, held 
every month in each county, by the sheriff 
or his deputy; See Court. 
COUP de bride, in the manege, the same 
with ebrilladc. See Ebrillade. 
COUPED, in heraldry, is used to ex- 
press the head or any limb of an animal, 
cut off from the trunk, smooth ; distinguish- 
ing it from that w'hich is called erassed, that 
