under the western empire, a grave-digger. In the first ages of the church there were clerks destined for this employment. In the year 357 Constantine made a law in favour of the priests copiatae, i.e., of those who had the care of interments; whereby he exempts them from the lustral contribution which all other traders paid. It was under him also that they first began to be called copiates, q.d. clerks destined for bodily labour, from κοπή, or κοπάω σινδοῦ, cedo, ferio, "I cut, beat," &c. Before that time they were called decani and lectorarii; perhaps because they were divided by decades or tens, each whereof had a bier or litter for the carriage of the dead bodies. Their place among the clerks was the next in order before the chantors.

Coping of a wall, the top or cover of a wall, made sloping to carry off the water.

Coping over, in Carpentry, a sort of hanging over, copin not square to its upright, but bevelling on its under side till it end in an edge.