(Liege), in law, is used for liege-lord, and sometimes for liege-man: liege-lord is he that acknowledgeth no superior, and liege-man is he who oweth allegiance to his liege-lord, 34 & 35 H. VIII. The king's subjects are called lieges or liege-people, because they owe and are bound to pay allegiance to him. Stat. 8. H. VI. c. 10. 14. H. VIII. c. 2. But in ancient times, private persons, as lords of manors, &c., had their lieges. Skene says that this word is derived from the Italian Liega, a bond or league.

Liege-People, in Scots law, is opposed to deathbed; and signifies a person's enjoying that state of health in which only he can dispose of his property at pleasure.

a bishopric of Germany, in the circle of Westphalia; bounded to the north by Brabant, to the south by Champagne and Luxemburg, to the east by Limburg and Juliers, and to the west by Brabant, Namur, and Hainault. It is very unequal both in length and breadth; the former being in some places above 90 miles, in others not half so much; and the latter in some places 45, in others hardly 25. The air here is very temperate; and the soil fruitful in corn, wine, wood, and pasture. Here also are mines of lead and iron, pits of coal, quarries of marble and stone, and some celebrated mineral waters, as those of Spa and Chau-fontaine. The principal rivers are, the Maes and Sambre. The manufactures and commodities of the country, are chiefly beer, arms, nails, serge, leather, with the products we have just mentioned. The states of the bishopric are composed of three bodies: the first is the chapter of Liege; the second, the nobility of the country; and the third, the deputies of the capital and the other towns. The three estates are seldom called together, except to raise taxes for the service of the province, or upon some particular emergency; but there is a committee of the states, who meet thrice a-week, and in time of war daily. They are always about the prince-bishop, to make remonstrances, and demand the redress of grievances. The bishop is spiritual and temporal lord of of the whole country; but, as bishop, is suffragan to the archbishop of Cologne. He styles himself by the grace of God, bishop and prince of Liege, duke of Bou- illon, marquis of Franchimont, count of Looz, Hoorn, &c. His arms for Liege, are, a pillar argent, on a pede- stal of the same, with a crown or, in a field ruby. In the matricula he was formerly rated at 50 horse, and 170 foot; or 1280 florins monthly, in lieu of them, but now only at 826. An abatement of one third has also been granted of the ancient settlement to the chamber-court, which was 360 rix-dollars 62½ kruitzers for each term. Here are several col- leges which sit at Liege, for the government of the country, and the decision of causes, civil, criminal, spiritual and feudal, and of such also as relate to the finances. The chapter consists of 60 persons, who must either prove their nobility for four generations, both by father and mother, before they can be ad- mitted; or if they cannot do that, must at least have been doctors or licentiates of divinity for seven years, or, of law, for five years, in some famous university. The bishopric is very populous and extensive, contain- ing 1500 parishes, in which are 24 walled towns, be- sides others, 52 baronies, besides counties and seignio- ries, 17 abbeys for men, who must be all gentlemen, and 11 for ladies, exclusive of others.

capital of the bishopric of the same name, stands upon the Maas, in a fine valley, sur- rounded with woods and hills, being a free imperial city, and one of the largest and most eminent in Europe. Though it is 100 miles from the sea by water, the Maas is navigable up to it. The city has 16 gates; 17 bridges, some of them very handsome; 154 streets, many of them straight and broad; a fine episcopal palace; a very large lately cathedral, in which, be- sides five great silver coffers full of relics, are several silver statues of saints, and a St George on horseback of massy gold, presented to the cathedral by Charles the Bold, by way of atonement for using the inhabi- tants cruelly in the year 1468. Of the other churches, that of St Paul is the most remarkable, both for its structure and fine ornaments in painting and marble. The city is well fortified, and there are also two castles on the mountain of the Holy Walburg for its defence. Besides a great number of other convents of both sexes, here is a college of English Jesuits, found- ed in the year 1616, and a fine nunnery of English ladies. Indeed, churches, convents, and other reli- gious foundations, take up the greater part of it. The reader, therefore, no doubt, will take it for granted, that it is a most blessed, holy, and happy city. But however it may fare with the profane, un- hallowed laity, it is certainly the paradise of priests, as it is expressly called, by way of eminence. It is divided into the old and new, or the upper and lower; and the latter again into the island, and the quarter beyond the Maas. The houses are high, and built of bluish marble. In the town and suburbs are 12 public places or squares, 10 hospitals, a beguin-house, and two fine keys, planted with several rows of trees, for the burghers to take the air; but a great part of that within the walls is taken up with orchards and vineyards. The manufactures of this city are arms, nails, leather, serge, and beer. In St William's convent, without the city, is the tomb of the famous English traveller Sir John Mandeville, with an ins- cription in barbarous French, requesting those who read it to pray for his soul. Near it are kept the faddle, spurs, and knife, that he made use of in his travels. After having seen most of the cities of any note in the world, he made choice of this to spend the end of his life in. A little way from the city, on the other side the Maas, stands the episcopal palace of Seraing, in which the bishops generally reside during the summer. The latitude of this city is 50° 36'. and the longitude 5° 40'.