Frater, a term of relation between two male children, sprung from the same father, or mother, or both. Scaliger and Voissius derive frater from επαρχος, for επαρχος, which properly signifies a person who draws water in the same well; επαρχος, in Greek, signifying well; and επαρχος, a company of people, who have a right to draw water out of the same well.—The word, it is said, came originally from the city Argos, where there were only a few wells distributed in certain quarters of the city, to which those of the same neighbourhood alone repaired.

By the civil law, brothers and sisters stand in the second degree of consanguinity; by the canon law, they are in the first degree.—By the Mosaic law, the brother of a man who died without issue was obliged to marry the widow of the deceased. Deuter. xxv. 7.

The ancients applied the term brother indifferently to almost all who stood related in the collateral line, as uncles and nephews, cousin-germans, &c.—This we learn not only from a great many passages in the Old Testament, but also from profane authors: Cicero, in his Philippics, says, "Antonia was both wife and sister of Mark Antony; because she was daughter of his brother C. Antonius." And as to cousins, Tullius Hostilius, in Dionysius Halicarnassus, calls the Horatii and Curati, brothers; because they were sisters' children.

The language of the Jews, bishop Pearson observes, included in the name of brethren not only the strict relation of fraternity, but also the larger of consanguinity. We are brethren, says Abraham to Lot, Gen. xiii. 8, whereas Lot was only his nephew.—So Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, Gen. xxix. 12, whereas he was only her father's nephew.—This consideration has been urged with good advantage against the Antidicomarianites, who, from the mention made of the brethren of Jesus, John ii. 12, Matth. xii. 46, have impugned the perpetual virginity of the mother of Christ.

Among us, it is customary for kings to give the title brother to each other; the union in coronation being esteemed to create a kind of brotherhood. Nor is the custom modern: Menander mentions a letter of Colroes king of Persia to the emperor Justinian, beginning thus: Colroes, king of kings, &c. to the emperor Justinian my brother.—Kings now also give the same appellation to the electors of the empire; and the like was given by the king of France to the late king of Sardinia, while only duke of Savoy.

In the civil law, brothers, fratres, in the plural, sometimes comprehend sisters: as Lucius & Titia, fratres; tres fratres, Titius, Maxius, & Seia.

Foster-BROTHERS, those who sucked the same nurse. The French call them fratres du lait, or brothers by milk; which is most properly used in respect of a person who sucked a nurse at the same time with the nurse's own child.

BROTHERS-German, Fratres Germani. See GERMAN.

BROTHER was also used, in middle-age writers, for a comes, or governor of a province.

BROTHER is applied, in a less proper sense, to denote a person of the same profession. In which senses, judges, bishops, priests, &c. call each other brothers.

BROTHER is also a customary term for priests of the same persuasion to address one another by; but it is more particularly used to denote the relation between monks of the same convent; as, brother Zachary: in English, we more usually say, Friar Zachary, from the French word, frere, brother.—Preachers also call their hearers, my brethren, or my dear brethren. This appellation is borrowed from the primitive Christians, who all called each other brothers. But it is now principally used for such of the religious as are not priests; those in orders are generally honoured with the title of father, whereas the rest are only simply brothers.

BROTHER is also an appellation more peculiarly given to certain orders of religious: Thus, the Brothers of St Alexis, in the low countries, were an order of persons who attended on those who lay dying, and took care of the burial of the dead. See also Brethren of Charity, of Death, &c.

Poor BROTHERS, in the charity-house, a denomination given to decayed gentlemen, to the number of 80, who are subsisted with diet, clothing, and lodging, on the establishment. The poor brothers are to be gen- Brother tlemen by descent, come to poverty, or decayed merchants, soldiers, or officers of the king's household. The conditions of admission are, that they have no estate for life worth 200l. nor coming in, vitis & modus, 24l. per annum; and that they be fifty years old, unless they have been maimed in the public service; in which case, the age of forty suffices. They wear a livery-gown within doors.

Brothers of Arms, an appellation given those who contract a kind of fraternity in war, obliging themselves to the mutual service and affiance of each other. In the military orders, the knights are also called brothers.—In the order of Malta, there is a particular class, who are called serving brothers; confining of such as cannot give proof of their nobility. In Latin they are denominated fratres clientes.

Brothers of the red cross. See Rosicrucians.

Brouage, a maritime town of Saintonge in France. It consists of five or six streets which terminate in a great square. It is famous for its salt-works, which are the finest in the kingdom. W. Long. 1.° N. Lat. 45.° 50.

Broushaven, a port-town of the United Provinces, in the island of Schonen in Zeeland, seated on the north side of the island, in a bay of the sea, in E. Long. 3.° 35. N. Lat. 51.° 50.