S32 B E A 
cient method of trial by combat. If cither of the comba¬ 
tants did not appear in the field at the time appointed, the 
other was to beat the wind, or make fo many flonrifiies 
with his weapon; by which he was intitled to all the ad¬ 
vantages of a conqueror. 
Beating Time, in mufic, a method of meafuring and 
marking tlie time for performers in concert, by a motion of 
the hand and foot up or down fucee (lively and in equal times. 
Knowing the true time of a crotchet, and fuppofing the 
meafure actually fubdivided into four crotchets, and the 
half-meafure into two, the hand or foot being up, if we 
put it down with the very beginning of the firfi note or 
crotchet, and then raif'e it with the third, and then down 
with the beginning of the next meafure, this is called beat¬ 
ing the time-, and, by practice, a habit is acquired of ma¬ 
king this motion very equal. Each down and up is fome. 
times called a time or meafure. The general rule is, to con¬ 
trive the divifion of the meafure fo, that every down and 
up of the beating (hall end with a particular note, on w hich 
very much depends the diftinftnefs, and, as it were, the 
fenfe, of the melody. 
Beating, with hunters, a term ufed of a flag, which 
runs firff one way and then another. He is then faid to 
beat up and down. The noife made by conies in rutting- 
time is alfo called beating or tapping. 
Beating, in navigation, the operation of making a 
progrefs at fea againll the direction of the wind, in a zig-zag 
line, or traverfe, like that in which we afeend a lleep hill. 
BEA'TITUDE,/. [beatitudo, Lat.] Bleffednefs; feli¬ 
city; happinefs: commonly ufed of the joys of heaven. —He 
fet out the felicity of his heaven, by tire delights of fenfe; 
flightly pafiing over the accomplifhment of the foul, and 
the beatitude of that part which earth and vifibilities too 
weakly affedl. Brown. —A declaration of blelfednefs made 
by our Saviour to particular virtues. 
BBIAT'ON (David), a cardinal of Rome in the fix- 
teenth century, was born in 1+94. Pope Paul III. raifed 
him to the degree of a cardinal in December 1538; and, 
being employed by James V. of Scotland, in negociating 
his marriages with the court of France, lie was there con- 
fecrated bifiiop of Mirepoix. Soon after his inllalment as 
archbilhop of St. Andrew’s, he promoted a furious perfe- 
cution of the reformers in Scotland, and raifed fo flrong 
a party, that, upon the coronation of the young queen 
Mary, he was admitted of the council, made chancellor, 
and procured a commifiion as legate a latere from the court 
of Rome. He now began to renew his perlecution of he¬ 
retics ; and, among the refi, of the famous Proteflant 
preacher Mr. George Withart, whofe fufferings at the flake 
the cardinal viewed from his window’ with apparent exul¬ 
tation. It is pretended, that Wilhart at his death fore¬ 
told the murder of Beaton ; which indeed happened Ihort- 
ly after, he being afifaflinated in his chamber, May 29,1547. 
BEATO'RUM INSULA, a district of the Nomos Oa- 
frtes; called an illand becaufe furrounded with fand, like 
an illand in the fea, yet abounding in all the necellaries of 
life, though encompaffed with vail Tandy deferts (Strabo ); 
which lome fuppofe to be a third Oafis, in the Rcgio Am- 
moniaca ; and the (cite of the temple of Ammon anfwers 
to the above defeription, as appears from the writers on 
Alexander’s expedition thither. It was a place of rele¬ 
gation or ban 1 foment for real or pretended criminals, from 
which there was no el'cape. Ulpian. 
BE'ATRIX, [i.e. cne that makes happy.] A proper 
name of women. 
BEATS, f. in a watch or clock, are the llrokes made by 
the fangs or pallets of the fpindle of the balance, or of 
the pads in a royal pendulum. See Clock and Watch. 
BKAT'TA LOUGH, a lake of Ireland, in the county 
of Mayo, feven miles.north-norlh-vvell of Calflebar. 
BEAU,yi \_beau, Fr It is founded like bo, and lias oft¬ 
en the’French plural beaux, founded as boes.~] A man of 
drfefs; a man whofe great care is to deck his perfon : 
What will not beaux attempt to pleafe the fair ? Dry den. 
B E A 
Beau Monde, the fair-fex; alfo the gay part of the 
world; the beaux. 
BEAUCAIR'E, a town of France, and principal place 
of a diftricl, in the department of the Garc^, on the right 
bank of the Rhone, oppofite to Tarafcon, with which it 
has a communication by a bridge of boats. A great deal 
of commerce is carried on here in wool, lilk, fluffs, fpices, 
drugs, leather, cotton, Sec. which is ailifted by an annual 
fair that continues lix days, the returns of which are faid 
to be eight millions of livres in fpecie, and fix or feven in 
exchange of merchandife, on an average of one year with 
another. Beaucaire is four leagues call of Nifines, Lat. 
43.4S.N. Ion. 22. 17. E. Ferro. 
BEAUCE, before the revolution, a country of France, 
part of Orleannois, fo fertile in corn that it was culled the 
granary of France. Chartres was the capital. It had 
neither mountain or river. 
BEAU'CH AMP (John de), baron of Kidderminller, 
in the reign of Richard II. and the firlt baron created by 
patent in this kingdom. He was the foil of Sir Richard 
Beauchamp of Holt, who was graridldn of William de 
Beauchamp of Elmeley, and brother to William de Beau¬ 
champ, the firff earl of Warwick of that family. He was 
born in 1320, and by the death of his father inherited the 
lands of Holt in Worcefterfhire, 1 Edward Ill. He was 
early in the fervice of his prince; for, in 12 Edward ML 
when lie was not more than twenty, he was in the expedi¬ 
tion to Flanders, and in 20 Edward 111 . in France, and 
acquired reputation in both. In 1353, he was in Gal- 
coigne, with Thomas earl of Warwick, and continued there 
all the next year. In the thirty-third of the fame reign 
he ferved again in France with much honour. In the 46 
Edward III. lie attended the king’s foil, John duke of Lan- 
cafter, in his expedition into Spain. By thefe long and 
faithful fervices he fo raifed his credit with Richard It. 
that he had a confiderable grant made him in Caermarthen- 
fhire, and was alfo appointed chief-jullice of North Wales, 
and Iteward of the king’s houfehold. He alfo obtained a 
grant of the manors and lands belonging to the priory of 
Deerhurft in the county of Gloucefter, with the title of 
baron Kidderminfier by patent, limiting that honour to 
his heirs male ; which became the precedent for future 
creations. It was thought that the king intended him far¬ 
ther honours, had not a hidden reverfe of fortune put a 
flop to his mailer’s power, and to his prolperity. This 
happened in 1388, whan the duke of Gloucefter, having 
firfi defeated the army raifed by the king’s favourite, whom 
lie had created duke of Ireland, marched to London, and 
forced him to call a parliament. Among!! other noble 
perfons then called to account, lord Beauchamp was one, 
who w’as firfi removed from his office of treafurer of the 
king’s houfehold, then fent prifoner to Dover-caftle, and 
laftly condemned and executed for high treafon upon Tow¬ 
er-hill. 
BEAUCHAS'TEL, a town of France, in the depart¬ 
ment of the Ardeche, twm leagues and a half fouth-fouth- 
weft of Valence, and three and a half north-eaft of Privas. 
BEAU DUN', a town of France, in the department of 
the Var, and chief place of a canton, in the diftrift of Bar- 
jols, twelve miles north-eaft of Barjols. 
BEA'VER, /] \bievre, Fr . fiber f An animal, otherwife 
named the cajlor, amphibious, and remarkable for his art 
in building his habitation ; of which many w'onderful ac¬ 
counts are delivered by travellers. See Castor. —The 
beaver, being hunted, bitetli off his Hones, knowing that for 
them only his life is fought. Hakewill. — A hat of the belt 
kind. The part of a helmet that covers the face, \_bavi- 
ere, Fr.] — He was (lain upon a courle at tilt, the fplinters 
of the fiaff going in at ids braver. Bacon. 
Beaver, a river of North America, which runs into 
Lale-Crols lake. Lat. 53. 23. N. Ion. 118.0.W. 
Beavf.r Indians, natives of North America, fituated 
about lat. 62. 20. N. Ion. 1x8.0. W. Greenwich. 
Beaver Island, an illand in lake Michigan. Lat.45. 
2.6. N. Ion. 85. 20. W. Greenwich, 
1 Beaver 
