or BIRRETUM, a sort of black bonet, or covering of the head, in form of a pyramid, much used in Italy and France, about 500 or 600 years ago, as a badge of victory, honour, or sacerdotal preferment.

BIRKENHEAD, or BERKENHEAD, SIR JOHN, a famous political author, was born about the year 1615. Being recommended to Dr William Laud archbishop of Canterbury, he became his secretary; in which office he showed such capacity and diligence, that the archbishop, by his diploma, created him master of arts in 1639; and in the year following, by letter commendatory from the same prelate, he was chosen probationer fellow of All-Soul's College. This obliged him to reside constantly at Oxford; and on King Charles I.'s making that city his head-quarters during the civil war, our author was made choice of to write a kind of journal in defence of the royal cause, by which he gained great reputation. By his majesty's recommendation, he was chosen reader in moral philosophy; which employment he enjoyed till 1648, when he was expelled by the parliament visitors. He retired afterwards to London, where he wrote several poetical pieces; and having adhered steadily to his principles, he acquired the title of the loyal poet, and suffered several imprisonments. He published, while he thus lived in obscurity, some very satirical compositions, mostly levelled against the republican grandees, and written with great poignancy. Upon the restoration of King Charles II. our author was rewarded for his loyalty. He was created, April 16, 1661, on the king's letters sent for that purpose, doctor of the civil law by the university of Oxford; and in that quality, as an eminent civilian, was consulted by the convocation on the question, Whether bishops ought to be present in capital cases? He was about the same time elected to serve in parliament for Wilton in the county of Wilts. He was knighted November 14, 1662; and upon Sir Richard Fanshaw's going in a public character to the court of Madrid, he was appointed to succeed him as master of requests. He lived afterwards in credit and esteem, and received various favours from the court, which, however, drew upon him some very severe attacks from those who opposed the court. Mr Wood has treated him with great severity; but his memory has been transmitted with honour to posterity by others, particularly by Dryden, Langbaine, and Winflanly. He died in Westminster, December 4, 1679; and was interred in St Martin's in the Fields.