48 MEL’ 
and hanged up as a fpy. This convent is alfo well forti¬ 
fied, commanding not only the town, but all the adjacent 
country; and accordingly made a vigorous defence againft 
-the army of Auftria in the year 1619. Leopold IV. con- 
fiderably augmented the eltates of this monaftery, and 
made it depend only on the fee of Rome. The abbot of 
it has precedence in all the afl'emblies or diets of the 
ftates of this country; but the convent is not by far fo 
rich as it was before the ravages occafioned by the civil 
wars in this country. In one of the cellars of the abbey 
is a quantity of wine, called St. Colman’s wine, faid to be 
above 300 years old; and its library is faid to confift of 
fbme curious and valuable manuferipts. It is eleven miles 
welt of St. Polten, and twelve eaft of Ips. 
MELCK, a river of Auftria, which runs into the Da¬ 
nube at Melck. 
MEL'GKENDORF, a town of Germany, in the princi¬ 
pality of Culmbach: three miles foutii-welf of Culmbach. 
MEL'COMB, the name of feveral villages in Dorfet- 
lhire ; as, Melcomb Bingham, Melcomb Horfey, See. 
MEL'COIviB RE'GIS, a town of Dorfetfhire, 130 miles 
from London, 'is iituated at the mouth of the river Wey, 
by which it is parted from Weymouth. It appears from 
the name to have been anciently the king’s demefne, and 
from the records to have paid quit-rent to the crown, till 
it was bought off by the inhabitants before they were 
united to Weymouth. It lies on the north fide of the 
haven, on a peninfula furrounded by the fea on all tides 
except on the north. The ftreets are broad and well 
payed, and many of the houles large and high. It fent 
members to parliament in the reign of Edward I. before 
Weymouth had that privilege, and was by parliament ap¬ 
pointed a ftaple in the reign of Edward III. In the next 
reign the French burnt it; and it was thereby rendered 
fo defolate, that the remaining inhabitants prayed and 
obtained a difeharge from cuftoms. On account of its 
quarrels with Weymouth, in the reign of Henry VI. its 
privileges as a port were removed to Pool •. but in that of 
queen Elizabeth they were reftored to it by aft of parlia-. 
ment, which was confirmed in the next reign, on condi¬ 
tion that Melcomb and Weymouth ihould make but one 
corporation, and enjoy their privileges in common ; and 
to this &as owing the flouriftiing ftate of both. In the 
two reigns laft mentioned, a wooden bridge with feven- 
teen arches was built from hence to Weymouth; to which, 
as well as its church, the chief contributors were certain 
citizens of London; and upon its decay it was rebuilt in 
1770. Here is a good market-place, and a town-hall, to 
which the members of the corporation of Weymouth 
come to attend public bufinefs, as the inhabitants do to 
its church for public worthip. The church, which is in 
the middle of the town, was rebuilt in 1605, and made pa¬ 
rochial ; and is ahandfome fabric, with a beautiful altar- 
piece, painted and given by fir James Thornhill, who was 
born and died here. But ftiil the inadequacy of this church 
to accommodate the inhabitants of both parithes, is fo fe- 
riouily felt, that a plan for erefting a new church capable 
of containing aooo perfons,with ample fpace for the poor, 
has been propofed and approved. If the requifite fum, 
which it is intended to raife by fubicription, can be ob¬ 
tained, the work will be immediately commenced. 
For feveral years paft the fea has retired from this place 
on the eaft, the Priory formerly being bounded by the 
fea; but there is now a ftreet beyond it, from which it is 
leveral paces to the high-water mark. The Priory was 
fituated on the eaft part of the town, in Maiden-ftreet, 
whofe fite occupied about an acre, now covered with tene¬ 
ments. Here are three meeting-houfes, and a workhoufe 
for the poor. The markets for both towns are Tueldays 
and Fridays; but there are no fairs. Melcomb Regis is 
reckoned bigger, more thriving, and populous, than Wey¬ 
mouth. They are but one corporation and borough, con¬ 
fiding of a mayor, recorder, two bailiffs, an uncertain 
number of aldermen, and twenty-four capital burgefles. 
Whoever has been mayor, is ever after an alderman. They 
MEL 
fend four burgefles to parliament, who are elefted by 
fuch as have freeholds, whether they are inhabitants or 
not; the number of voters is near 700. Every eleftor, as 
in London, has the privilege of voting for four perfons, 
who when chofen are returned, in two diftinft indentures, 
as “ the burgefles of Weymouth” and “ the burgefles of 
Melcomb Regisyet the ftyle and title of the borough 
(under the aft of James I.) is “ the united town and bo¬ 
rough of Weymouth and Melcomb Regis.” For farther 
particulars, fee Weymouth. 
MELCON'DA, a town of Hindooftan, in Dowlatabad: 
twenty-three miles weft of Beder. 
MEL'DAi, in ancient geography, a people of Gallia 
Celtica, inhabiting near the river Matrona, or Marne; 
with a town of the fame name, now Meaicx in France. 
Others, as Ptolemy, &c. afiign the Meld a: to Cherburg, 
which is not only a maritime town, but alfo mountain¬ 
ous. Ctrfar. B. Gal. 
MEL'DAL, a town of Norway, in the province of 
Drontheim: thirty miles fouth-fouth-weft of Drontheim. 
MELD'FEOH, f. [Saxon.] The recompence due and 
given to him who made difeovery of any breach of penal 
laws, committed by another perfon; called the promo¬ 
ter’s or informer's fee. Leg. Ince, c. zo. 
MELDO'LA, a town of Italy, in the department of 
the Rubicon: leven miles fouth of Forli, and twenty weft 
of Rimini. 
MEL'DORP, a fea-port of Holftein, at the mouth of 
the river Myle: fifty miles north-weft of Hamburgh. Lat. 
54.10. N. Ion. 9.4. E. 
MEL'DRUM, a town of Scotland, in the county of 
Aberdeen. It is a burgh of barony, and holds a weekly 
market: fixteen miles north-north-weft of Aberdeen, and 
twenty-feven fouth-fouth-eaft of Bamff. 
MELDUR'GAM, a hill fort of Hindooftan, in Myfore, 
taken by the Britifli in February 1799. 
ME'LE SUR SAR'TE, a town of France, in the depart¬ 
ment of the Orne: four miles eaft-north-eaft of Alen^on, 
and three weft of Mortagne. 
ME'LA, [Hebrew.] A man's name. 
MEI.EA'GER, in fabulous hiftory, a celebrated hero* 
fon of CEneus king of Calydonia, by Althsea daughter of 
Theftius. The Parcae were prefent at the moment of his 
birth, and predifted his future greatnefs: Clotho faid 
that he would be brave and courageous; Lachefis fore¬ 
told his uncommon ftrength and valour; and Atropos 
faid that he thould live as long as that firebrand, which 
was on the fire, remained entire and unconfirmed. Althaea 
no fooner heard this, than {he fnatched the flick from the 
fire, and kept it with the raoft jealous care, as the life of 
her fon totally depended upon its prelervation.' The fame 
of Meleager increaled with his years; he fignalized him- 
felf in the Argonautic expedition, and afterwards deli¬ 
vered his country from the neighbouring inhabitants, 
who made war againft his father at the inftigation of 
Diana, whofe altars CEneus had neglefted. But Diana 
punithed the negligence of CEneus by a greater calamity. 
She fent a huge wild boar, which laid wafte all the coun¬ 
try, and feemed invincible on account of its immenfe fize. 
It became foon a public concern: all the neighbouring 
princes aflembled to deftroy this terrible animal; and 
nothing is more famous in mythological hiftory, than the 
hunting of the Calydonian boar. The princes and chiefs 
that aflembled, and which are mentioned by mythologifts, 
were, Meleager fon of CEneus, Idas and Lynceus fons of 
Apharcus, Dryas fon of Mars, Caftor and Pollux fons of 
Jupiter and Leda, Perithous fon of Ixion, Thefeus fon of 
Asgeus, Anceus and Cepheus fons of Lycurgus, Admetus 
fon of Pheres, Jafon fon of Aifbn, Peleus and Telamon 
fons of Aiacus, Iphicles fon of Amphitryon, Atalanta 
daughter of Schceneus, Idas the friend of Hercules, the 
fons of Theftius, Amphiaraus fon of Oileus, Protheus, 
Cometes, the brothers of Althaea, Phcenix fon of Amyn- 
tor, Neftor, Mencetius the father of Patroclus, Laertes 
the father of Uiyfies, the four Ions of Bippocoon, and 
feveral 
