an assemblage of several bodies or societies, or of several persons into one society.

College, among the Romans, served indifferently for those employed in the offices of religion, of government, the liberal and even mechanical arts and trades; so that, with them, the word signified what we call a corporation or company.

Each of these colleges had distinct meeting-places or halls; and likewise, in imitation of the state, a treasury and common chest, a register, and one to represent them upon public occasions, and acts of government. These colleges had the privilege of manumitting slaves, of being legates, and making by-laws for their own body, provided they did not clash with those of the government.

There are various colleges on foot among the moderns, founded on the model of those of the ancients. Such are the three colleges of the empire, viz.

COLLEGE of Electors, or their Deputies, assembled in the diet of Ratibon.

College of Princes; the body of princes, or their deputies, at the diet of Ratibon.

College of Cities, is, in like manner, the body of deputies which the imperial cities send to the diet.

College of Cardinals, or the Sacred College; a body composed of the three orders of cardinals. See CARDINALS.

College is also used for a public place endowed with certain revenues, where the several parts of learning are taught.

An assemblage of several of these colleges constitute an university. The erection of colleges is part of the royal prerogative, and not to be done without the king's license.

The establishment of colleges or universities, is a remarkable period in literary history. The schools in cathedrals and monasteries confined themselves chiefly to the teaching of grammar. There were only one or two masters employed in that office. But, in colleges, professors are appointed to teach all the different parts of science. The first obscure mention of academical degrees in the university of Paris, (from which the other universities in Europe have borrowed most of their customs and institutions), occurs A.D. 1215.

College of Civilians, commonly called Doctors-commons, founded by Dr Harvey, dean of the arches, for the professors of the civil law residing in the city of London. The judges of the arches, admiralty, and prerogative court, with several other eminent civilians, commonly reside here.

To this college belong 34 proctors, who make themselves parties for their clients, manage their causes, give licenses for marriages, &c.

In the common-hall of Doctors-commons are held several courts, under the jurisdiction of the civil law; particularly the high court of admiralty, the court of delegates, the arches court of Canterbury, and the prerogative court of Canterbury, whose terms for sitting are much like those at Westminster, every one of them holding several court-days; most of them fixed and known by preceding holidays, and the rest appointed at the judge's pleasure.

College of Physicians; a corporation of physicians in London, whose number, by charter, is not to exceed 50. The chief of them are called fellows; and the next candidates, who fill up the places of fellows as they become vacant by death, or otherwise. Next to these are the honorary fellows; and lastly, the licentiates; that is, such as being found capable, upon examination, are allowed to practice physic.

This college has several great privileges granted by charter and acts of parliament. No man can practice physic in, or within seven miles of, London, without license of the college, under the penalty of £1. Also, persons practicing physic in other parts of England are to have letters testimonial from the president and three elects, unless they be graduate physicians of Oxford or Cambridge. Every member of the college is authorized to practice surgery in London or elsewhere; and that they may be able at all times to attend their patients, they are freed from all parish-offices.

The college is governed by a president, four censors, and 12 electors. The censors have, by charter, power power to survey, govern, and arrest all physicians, or others, practising physic in or within seven miles of London; to fine, amerce, and imprison them at discretion; to search apothecaries shops, &c., in and about London; to see if their drugs, &c., be wholesome, and the composition according to the form prescribed by the college in their dispensaries; and to burn, or otherwise destroy, those that are defective or decayed, and not fit for use.

In 1696, 42 members of the college made a subscription, to let on foot a dispensary for the relief of the sick poor, who are advised gratis every day but Sunday, and have medicines sold at the intrinsic value; since this, they have erected two other dispensaries.

Edinburgh College of Physicians was erected on the 29th November 1681. The design of this institution was, to prevent the abuses daily committed by foreign and illiterate impostors, quacks, &c. For this reason, his majesty, at the time above-mentioned, granted letters patent to erect into a body corporate and politic, certain physicians in Edinburgh and their successors, by the title of "the President and Royal College of Physicians at Edinburgh," with power to choose annually a council of seven, one whereof to be president: these are to elect a treasurer, clerk, and other officers; to have a common seal; to sue, and be sued; to make laws for promoting the art of physic, and regulating the practice thereof, within the city of Edinburgh, town of Leith, and districts of the Canongate, West-port, Pleasance, and Potter-row; through all which the jurisdiction of the college extends. Throughout this jurisdiction, no person is allowed to practise physic, without a warrant from the college, under the penalty of £1 sterling the first month, to be doubled monthly afterwards while the offence is continued; one half of the money arising from such fines to go to the poor, the other to use of the college. They are also empowered to punish all licentiates in physic within the above-mentioned bounds, for faults committed against the institutions of the college; and to fine them of sums not exceeding 40s. On such occasions, however, they must have one of the bailies of the city to sit in judgment along with them, otherwise their sentence will not be valid. They are also empowered to search and inspect all medicines within their jurisdiction, and throw out into the street all such as are bad or unwholesome. That they may the better attend their patients, they are exempted from watching, warding, and serving on juries. They are, however, restrained from erecting schools for teaching the art of physic, or conferring degrees on any person qualified for the office of a physician; but are obliged to licence all such as have taken their degrees in any other university, and to admit as honorary members all the professors of physic in the rest of the universities of Scotland. These privileges and immunities are not, however, to interfere with the rights and privileges of the apothecary-surgeons, in their practice of curing wounds, contusions, fractures, and other external operations.

Edinburgh College of Surgeons. This is but a very late institution, by which the surgeons of Edinburgh are incorporated into a Royal College, and authorized to carry into execution a scheme for making provision for their widows and children, &c.

College of Justice, the supreme civil court of Scotland; otherwise called Court of Session, or, of council and session. See Law, Part III. No clvii. 4.

Sion College, or the college of the London clergy, was formerly a religious house, next to a hospital; and now it is a composition of both, viz., a college for the clergy of London, who were incorporated in 1631, at the request of Dr White, under the name of the President and Fellows of Sion college; and an hospital of 10 poor men; the first within the gates of the house, and the latter without.

This college consists of a president, two deans, and four assistants, who are annually chosen from among the rectors and vicars in London, subject to the visitation of the bishop. They have one of the finest libraries in England, built and stocked by Mr Simpson, chiefly for the clergy of the city, without excluding other students on certain terms; they have also a hall with chambers for the students, generally filled with the ministers of the neighbouring parishes.

Gresham College, or College of Philosophy, a college founded by Sir Thomas Gresham, who built the Royal-exchange; a moiety of the revenue whereof he gave in trust to the mayor and commonalty of London and their successors for ever, and the other moiety to the company of mercers; the first to find four able persons to read in the college, divinity, astronomy, music, and geometry; and the last, three or more able men to read rhetoric, civil-law, and physic; a lecture upon each subject is to be read in term-time, every day, except Sundays, in Latin, in the forenoon, and the same in English in the afternoon; only the music-lecture is to be read alone in English. The lecturers have each 50l. per annum, and a lodging in the college.

In this college formerly met the royal society; that noble academy, celebrated throughout the world for their improvements in natural knowledge. See Society.

College of Heralds, commonly called the Heralds Office; a corporation founded by charter of king Richard III., who granted them several privileges, as to be free from subsidies, tolls, offices, &c. They had a second charter from king Henry VI.; and a house built near Doctors-commons, by the earl of Derby, in the reign of king Henry VII., was given them by the duke of Norfolk, in the reign of queen Mary, which house is now rebuilt.

This college is subordinate to the earl-marshal of England. They are assistants to him in his court of chivalry, usually held in the common-hall of the college, where they sit in their rich coats of his majesty's arms. See Herald.