COM 
COM 
ami taught polite literature and divinity. He died at 
Paris in 1702. We have a volume of his Latin poems, 
ami a collection of his pofthumous works. His odes and 
fables are more particularly admired. 
COMMISERABLE, adj. Worthy of compadion j piti¬ 
able : fuch as mult excite fympathy or for row.—It is the 
iinfulleft thing in the world to deftitute a plantation once 
in forwardnefs : for, befides the difhonour, it is the guilt- 
inefs of blood of many commiferable perfons. Baron. 
To COMMISERATE, v. a. [con and mifereor, Lat.J 
To pity ; to look on with compatfion ; to compaffionate. 
Then we muft thofe, who groan beneath the weight 
Of age, difeafe, or want, commiferate. Denham. 
COMMISERA'TION,/. Pity; companion; tender- 
nels ; or concern for'another’s pains.—Thefe poor de¬ 
duced creatures, whom I can neither fpeak nor think of 
but with much commiferation and pity. Hooker. 
She ended weeping ; and her lovely plight 
Immoveable, till peace, obtain’d from fault 
Acknowledg’d and deplor’d, in Adam wrought 
Commiferation. Milton. 
COMMISERATIVELY, edv. Out of companion, 
Ma fin's Suppl. 
COM'MISSARY, f. [commiffarius, low Lat.] An officer 
made occafionally for a certain purpofe; a delegate; a 
deputy.-—It is a title of ecclefiaftical juritdiClion, apper¬ 
taining to thofe who exercife fpiritual jurifdiftion (at 
lealt fo far as their commiilion permits) in places of the 
diocefe fo far diftant from the chief city, as the chancel¬ 
lor cannot call the fubjefts. Cowell. —The commiffaries of 
biffiops have authority only in fome certain place of the 
diocefe, and in fome certain caufes of the jurifdiriion li¬ 
mited to them by the biffiop’s commiffion. Aylijfe. —An 
officer who draws up lifts of the numbers of an army, and 
regulates the procuration and conveyance of provision or 
ammunition: 
But is it thus you Englifli bards compofe ? 
With Runick lays thus tag infipid prole ? 
And when you ffiould your heroes deeds rehearfe, 
Give us a comtnijfary' s lift in verfe ? * Prior. 
COM'MISSARISHIP,/ The office of a commifthry.— 
A commiffarifhip is not grantable for life, fo as to bind the 
fucceeding biffiop, though it Ihould be confirmed by the 
dean and chapter. Aylijfe. 
COMMISSION,/ [commij/io, low Lat.] The add of en- 
trufting any thing; a truft ; a warrant by which any truft 
is held, or authority exercifed.— Commiffion is the warrant, 
or letters patent, that all men exercifing jurifdidlion, 
either ordinary or extraordinary, have for their power. 
Cowell. —A warrant by which a military officer is con- 
ftituted.—I was made a colonel; though I gained my com- 
miffon by the horfe’s virtues, having leapt over a fix-bar 
gate. Addifin. 
Pie for his fon a gay commiffion buys. 
Who drinks, whores, fights, and in a duel dies. Pope. 
Charge; mandate; office; employment.—It was both a 
ftrange commiffion, and a ftrange obedience to a commiffion, 
for men in the midft of their own blood, and being fo 
furioufiy aflailed, to hold their hands contrary to the laws 
of nature and neceffity, Bacon. 
Such commiffion from above 
I have receiv’d to anfwer thy defire 
Of knowledge within bounds. Milton. 
Add of committing a crime; perpetration. Sins of com¬ 
miffion are diftinguiflied in theology from fins of omiffon. 
■-—Every commiffion of fin introduces into the foul a certain 
degree of hardnefs. South.—A number of people joined in 
a truft or office; the Hate of that which is entrufted to 
a number of joint officers; as ,‘the broad feal was put into 
commiffion. [In commerce.] The order by which a faftor 
trades for another perfon, 
859 
Commission of Anticipation, was a commiffion 
under the great leal to colledt a tax or fubfidy before the 
day. 15 H. VIII. 
Commission of Array. See the article Mii.itia. 
Commission of Association, a commiffion to af- 
fociate two or more learned perfons with the jultices irt 
the feveral circuits and counties of Wales, See. 
Commission of Bankrupt. Seethe article Bank¬ 
rupt, vol. ii. p. 692. 
Commission of Charitable Uses, goes out of the 
chancery to the bilhop and others, where lands given to 
charitable ufes are milemployed, or there is any fraud or 
difputes concerning them, to enquire of and redrefs the 
abufe, &c. 43 Elia. c. 4. 
Commission of Delegates, is a commiffion under 
the great feal to certain perfons, ufually two or three 
temporal lords, as many biffiops, and two judges of the 
law, to fit upon an appeal to the king in the court of 
chancery, where any fentence is given in any ecciefiafti- 
cal caufe by the archbiffiop. 25 H. VIII. c. 19. Now ge¬ 
nerally three of the common law judges, and two civi¬ 
lians, lit as delegates. 
Commissions of the Peace. See the article Jus¬ 
tice of Peace. 
Commission of Lunacy, a commiffion out of chan¬ 
cery to enquire whether a perfon reprelented to be a lu¬ 
natic be fo or not; that if lunatic, the king may have the 
care of hiseftate, See. 
Commission of Rebellion, otherwife called a writ 
of rebellion, iflues when a man after proclamation made 
by the ffieriff, upon a procefs out of the chancery, on pain 
of his allegiance, to prefent himfelf to the court by a day 
affigned, makes default in his appearance: and this corn- 
million is directed to certain perfons, to the end they, 
three, two, or one, of them apprehend the party, or caufe 
him to be apprehended, as a rebel and contemner of the 
king’s laws, wlierefoever found within the kingdom, and. 
bring or caufe him to be brought to the court on a day 
therein affigned : this writ or commiffion goes forth after 
an attachment returned, non eft inventus. See. 
Commission of Sewers, is directed to certain per¬ 
fons to fee drains and ditches well kept and maintained 
in the marlliy and fenny parts of England, for the better 
conveyance of the water into the fea, and preferving the 
grafs upon the land. 23 H. VIII. c. 5. 13 Elia. c. 9. 
Commission of Treaty with Foreign Princes, 
is where leagues and treaties are made and tranfadled be¬ 
tween ftates and kingdoms, by their ambafiadors and 
minifters, for the mutual advantage of the kingdoms in 
alliance. 
Commission to take up Men for War, was a 
commiffion to prels or force men into the king’s fervice. 
This power of imp re fling has been heretofore doubted, 
but the legality of it is now fully eftabliffied. Vide Foft. 
Rep. 154. 1 Comm. 419. Broadfoofs cafe, Comb. 245. 
To COMMISSION, <v. a. To empower; to appoint3 
to fend with mandate or authority : 
The peace polluted thus, a chofen band 
He firft commiffions to the Latian land. Dry den. 
To COMMISSIONATE, v. a. To commiffion; to 
empower ; notinufe. —As he was thus fent by his father, lo 
alio were the apoftles folemnly commiffonated by him to 
preach to the gentile world. Decay of Piety. 
COMMISSIONER,/. One included in a warrant of 
authority.—A comnnffioner is one who hath commiffion, 
as letters patent, or other lawful warrant, to execute any 
public office. Cowell. —Suppofe itinerary commiffwners to 
infpedt, throughout the kingdom, into the conduft of 
men in office, with refpeft to morals and religion, as well 
as abilities. Swift. 
Like are their merits, like rewards they ffiare; 
That (bines a conful, this commiffioner. Pope. 
COMMISSURE, f [ comtniffuro , Lat.] Joint; a place 
where 
