BURSA, Burse, originally signifies a purse. In middle-age writers it is more particularly used for a little college or hall in a university, for the residence of students, called burfales or burfarii. In the French universities it still denotes a foundation for the maintenance of poor scholars in their studies. The nomination to burfals is in the hands of the patrons and founders thereof. The burfals of colleges are not benefices, but mere places assigned to certain countries and persons. A burfals becomes vacant by the burfals's being promoted to a cure.