were anciently notable dignitaries both in church and state, whose business was to look to the preservation of the public weal, to protect the poor and helpless, and to maintain the interests and causes of churches and religious houses. See Protector.—The council of Chalcedon, can. 2. calls the defender of a church Episcopus. Codin, de officiis civilis Conf. makes mention of defenders of the palace. There were also a defender of the kingdom, defensor regni; defenders of cities, defensores civitatis; defenders of the people, defensores plebis; of the poor, fatherless, widows, &c.

About the year 420, each patriarchal church began to have its defender; which custom was afterwards introduced into other churches, and continued to later days under other names; as those of Advocate, and Advocate.

In the year 407, we find the council of Carthage asking the emperor for defenders, of the number of Scholastic, i.e. advocates who were in office; and that it might be allowed them to enter and search the cabinets and papers of the judges and other civil magistrates, whenever it should be found necessary for the interest of the church. The emperor still retains the quality of advocate of the church; and the kings of Great Britain preserve the title of Defender of the Faith, granted to Henry VIII. by pope Leo X. in 1521, on occasion of that prince's writing against Luther, and afterwards confirmed by Clement VII. Tho. Chamberlayne says, the title belonged to the kings of England before that time; and for proof thereof appeals to several charters granted to the university of Oxford: So that pope Leo's bull was only a renovation of an ancient right. Pref. Stat. l. 1. c. 2.