medicine, so called, because by their abuse they become the causes of diseases.

Physicians have divided the non-naturals into six classes, viz. the air, meats and drinks, sleep and watching, motion and rest, the passions of the mind, the retentions and excretions. See Medicine, no 147, &c.

Non Obstante, (notwithstanding,) a clause frequent in statutes and letters-patent, importing a licence from the king to do a thing, which at common law might be lawfully done, but being restrained by act of par- liament cannot be done without such licence.

Non Pro. See Nolle Prosequi.

Non-Suit, signifies the dropping of a suit or action, or a renouncing thereof by the plaintiff or defendant; which happens most commonly upon the discovery of some error in the plaintiff's proceedings when the cause is so far proceeded in, that the jury is ready at the bar to deliver in their verdict.

Nones, (nonæ) in the Roman calendar, the fifth day of the months January, February, April, June, August, September, November, and December; and the seventh of March, July, and October. March, May, July, and October, had six days in their nones; because these alone, in the ancient constitution of the year by Numa, had 31 days a-piece, the rest having only 29, and February 30: but when Caesar reformed the year, and made other months contain 31 days, he did not allot them six days of nones.

Nonius (Peter), in Spanish Nunes, a learned Portuguese, and one of the ablest mathematicians of the 16th century, was born at Alcacer. He was pre- ceptor to Don Henry, king Emmanuel's son, and taught the mathematics in the university of Coimbra. He published the following works, by which he gained great reputation: 1. De arte navigandi. 2. Anno- tationes in theorias planetarum Purbachii; which are greatly esteemed. 3. A treatise De crepusculis. 4. A treatise on algebra. It is observed in Furetiere's dic- tionary, that Peter Nonius, in 1530, first invented the angles of 45 degrees made in every meridian, and that he called them rhumbs in his language, and calculated them by spherical triangles. Nonius died in 1577, aged 80.

Nonius (Marcellus), a grammarian and Peripate- tic philosopher, born at Tivoli, wrote a treatise, in- titled De proprietate sermonum. This author is only valuable for his giving fragments of ancient authors that are nowhere else to be found. The above treatise was printed at Paris in 1614, with notes.