in matters of dress and equipage, a certain colour and form of dress, by which noblemen and gentlemen choose to distinguish their servants.

Liveries are usually taken from fancy, or continued in families by succession. The ancient cavaliers, at their tournaments, distinguished themselves by wearing the liveries of their militias; thus people of quality make their domestics wear their livery.

Father Menefrier, in his Treatise of Carousals, has given a very ample account of the mixtures of colours in liveries. Dion tells us, that Oenomaus was the first who invented green and blue colours, for the troops which, in the circus, were to represent land and sea-fights.

The Roman church has also her several colours and liveries; white, for confessors and virgins, and in times of rejoicing; black, for the dead; red, for the apostles and martyrs; blue or violet, for penitents; and green, in times of hope.

Formerly, great men gave liveries to several, who were not of their family or servants, to engage them in their quarrels for that year; but this was prohibited by the statutes 1 Rich. II. 1 Hen. IV. cap. 27. 2 and 7 Hen. IV. 8 Hen. VI. cap. 4. Ed. IV. cap. 2; and no man, of whatever condition, was allowed to give any livery, but to his domestic officers, and council learned in the law. However, most of the above statutes are repealed by 3 Car. I. cap. 4.

LIVERY of Seifin, in law, signifies delivering the posession of lands, &c. to him who has a right to Liverymen, Livi.

LIVERYMEN of London, are a number of men chosen from among the freemen of each company. Out of this body the common-council, sheriffs, and other superior officers for the government of the city, are elected; and they alone have the privilege of giving their votes for members of parliament, from which the rest of the citizens are excluded.