P L A 
PLACET'TF, (John de la), an eminent French Pro- 
tellant rninifter and eftimable moralift, was horn at 
Pontacin Bearn, in the year 1639. His early education 
he received under the inftruftions of his father, who was 
the rninifter of his native place; and, after he had made 
good proficiency in the clafiics and belles lettres, he 
applied to the (tudies requifite to qualify him for the pro- 
fefiion of a divine. Having been admitted to the office 
of the miniftry in 1660, his firft fettlement was with the 
church of Orthes in Bearn ; from which he removed 
four years afterwards to that of Nay in the fame province. 
Here he continued, highly refpefted by his flock, till the 
year 1685, when the revocation of the edift of Nantes 
compelled him to renounce his country for an afylutn 
among ftrangers. Thus circumftanced, he accepted an 
offer made him by the queen of Denmark, to become 
paftor of a French church which flie had founded at 
Copenhagen. The patronage and favour of that princefs 
he enjoyed till her death in 1711, when he removed into 
Holland. In this country, lie firft took up his refidence 
at the Hague, and afterwards removed to Utrecht, where 
he died in 1718, in the 80th year of his age. 
His knowledge was extenfive, his penetration quick 
and lively, and his judgment calm and difpaffionate. 
His difpofition was benevolent, his manners affable, and 
his charity was extended to Chriftians of all communions. 
One of his Catholic biographers obferves that, by ex¬ 
punging a few pafl'ages in which his religions prejudices 
predominate, his moral treatifes might be rendered 
v.feful to all the Chriltian world. With great clearnefs 
of perception, and foundnefs of judgment, he has very 
happily difentangled and elucidated the molt intricate and 
embarrafled queffions. Lets profound than Nicole, and lefs 
ingenious than Rochefaucault, he will pleafe good men by 
his folid morality, equally removed from exceffive rigour 
and criminal remiffhefs. His ftyle is Ample and equable, 
though fometimes difFufe. His works confift of, 1. New 
moral Eflays, in 6 vols. iatno. 169a—1714. 2. ATreatife 
on Pride, nmo. of which the belt edition is that of 1699. 
3. A Treatife on Confcience, 1695, nmo, which was 
tranflated into Englifti by Bafil Kennett in 1705, under 
the title of The Chriftian Cafuift. 4. A Treatife on 
Good Works, 1700, nn:o, 5. A Treatife on Oaths, 
1701, 121110. 6. Various Treatifes on Matters of 
Confcience, 1698, nmo. 7. The Death of the Juft, 
1695, nmo. 8. A Treatife on Alms, 121110. 9. A 
Treatife on Games of Chance, defending them againft 
a variety of objections, 1714, 12U10. 10. A Compendium 
of Chriftian morality, of which the belt edition is that of 
1701, i2mo. ir. Chriftian Refleftions on feveral moral 
Subjects, 1707, 121110. 12. A Treatife on Divine Faith, 
of which the beft edition is that of 1716, nmo, and 
other moral and pious pieces, befides feveral articles in 
controverfy with the Catholics. Our author was alfo 
one of the anragonifts of Bayle, againft whom he pub- 
liflted fome traits, the titles of which may be feen in 
Moreri. Gen. Bieg. 
PLA'CIA, in ancient geography, a town of Alia 
Minor in Myfia, on the holders of the Propontide, 
between Panormus to the weft, and the mouth of the 
Rhyndacus to the eaft. According to Pomponius Mela, 
and alfo Herodotus, this town was colonized by the 
Pelafgi. Cybele was held in great veneration here; and, 
Ps Cyzicus was very near it, the Cyzicanians worffiipped 
her under the name of the “ Mother Placia.” 
PLA'CID, adj. [placidus, Lat.] Gentle; quiet; not 
turbulent.—It conduceth unto long life and to the more 
placid motion of the fpirits that men’s aftions be free. 
Bacon. —Soft; kind; mild: 
That placid afpeft and that meek regard. 
Rather than aggravate my evil ftate, 
Would ftand between me and thy father’s ire. Milton. 
PLA'CIDE (-), a French monk and able 
geographer, feems to have been a native of Paris, or its 
P L A 575 
vicinity, and was born in the year 1648. He was the 
relation and pupil of the celebrated geographer Peter 
Duval, and when he was eighteen years of age embraced 
the religious life in the convent of the Auguftinian bare¬ 
footed friars at the Place des Viftoires. With the ex- 
ercifes of the cloifter, however, he combined the diligent 
ftudy of geography; and drew feveral excellent maps 
and charts, the moft efteemed of which is that of “the 
Courfe of the Po,” in feveral flreets. On account of his 
fuperior (kill and ingenuity in this branch of fcience, in 
1705 he was appointed geographer in ordinary to the 
king. He died in 1734, when he was about 86 years of 
age. His likenefs was painted by one of his friends, who 
had it engraved ; and this portrait is fometimes to be met 
with, prefixed to the colleftions of the maps; but the 
monks of his fraternity, having obtained polleffion of the 
plate, deftroyed it under the pretence that to permit the 
circulation of fuch portraits was inconfiftent with the 
modefty and humility of the religious profeffion ; though 
one of their principal motives for fo doing was their re- 
fentment againft father Placide, who would not fubmit to 
their newly-adopted fafhion of being ffiaved, but per- 
fifted in wearing his beard, with which he is reprefented 
in the engraving. Gen. Biog. 
PLACID'IA, a daughter of Theodofius the Great, 
filler to Honorius and Arcadius. She married Adolphus, 
king of the Goths, and afterwards Conftantius, by whom 
flie had Valentinian III. She died A. D. 449. See the 
article Rome. 
PLA'CIDLY, ado. Mildly; gently; with quietnefs.— 
If he had ftaid in innocence, he fhould have gone from 
henc t placidly. Bp. Taylor. —If into a vial, filled with, 
good (pirit of nitre, you call a piece of iron, the liquor, 
whole parts moved uniformly and placidly before, by 
altering its motion, it begins to penetrate and fcatter 
abroad particles of the iron. Boyle. —The water eafily 
infinuates itfelf into, and placidly diltends, the tubes and 
veffels of vegetables. Woodward. 
PLACIDITY, or Pla'cidness, /’. [from placid .] 
Mildnefs; gentlenefs ; fweetneis of difpofition.—He 
behaves with the iitmoll placidity , moderation, and calm- 
nefs. Chandler's Life of K. David, i. 36. 
PLA'CING,/. The aft of putting into place ; the aft 
of fixing in a proper place. 
PLA'CIT, or Placitum, f. Decree; determination. 
See Placita. —We fpend time in defence of their placiis, 
which might have been employed upon the univerfal 
author. Glanville. 
PLA'CITA ,_/1 [Latin.] Pleas, pleadings, or debates 
and trials at law. At firft, it fignified the public 
aflemblies of all degrees of men where the king prefided, 
and they ufually confulted upon the great affairs of the 
kingdom. Some of our hiftorians tell us, that thofe 
aflemblies were held in the open fields; and that the 
Placita gmeralia and Curia Regis, were what we now call 
a Parliament. 
We alfo meet with Placitum nominatum ; i. e. the day 
appointed for a criminal to appear and plead, and make 
his defence. Leg. Hen. I. And Placitum fradium, i. e. 
when the day is iapfed. Placitum was the fentence or 
opinion of the court, which Lord Coke derives dplacendo, 
quia beneplacitare fuper omnia placet: this feeins a very 
fanciful etymon; and others with reafon derive it from 
the German platz, or the Latin plateis, fields or flreets, 
where thefe aflemblies were originally held. 
Placita is now the ftyle of the court at the beginning 
of the record of niji prius. In this fenfe, pleas, Placita, 
are divided, into Pleas of the Crown, and Common 
Pleas. Pleas of the Crown are all fuits in the king’s 
name, for offences committed againft his crowm and 
dignity, and alfo againft the peace; Common Pleas are 
thofe that are agitated between common perfons, in civil 
cafes. 4 Inf. 10. See Plea. 
PLACK'ET or Plaquet, f. [from the Belg. plagghe, 
a mean garment. In lorne parts of England it is ufed 
for 
