a place of divine worship so called. The word is derived from the Latin capella. In former times, when the kings of France were engaged in war, they always carried St Martin's hat into the field, which was kept in a tent as a precious relic; from whence the place was called capella; and the priests, who had the custody of the tent, copellant. Afterwards the word capella became applied to private oratories.

In Britain there are several sorts of chapels. 1. Parochial chapels: these differ from parish churches only in name; they are generally small, and the inhabitants within the district few. If there be a presentation ad ecclesiam instead of copellam, and an admission and institution upon it, it is no longer a chapel, but a church. 2. Chapels, which adjoin to, and are part of the church: such were formerly built by honourable persons, as burying-places for themselves and their families. 3. Chapels of ease: these are usually built in very large parishes, where all the people cannot conveniently repair to the mother church. 4. Free chapels; such as were founded by kings of England. They are free from all episcopal jurisdiction, and only to be visited by the founder and his successors; which is done by the lord chancellor: yet the king may license any subject to build and endow a chapel, and by letters patent exempt it from the visitation of the ordinary. 5. Chapels in the universities, belonging to particular colleges. 6. Domestic chapels, built by noblemen or gentlemen for the private service of God in their families. See CHAPLAIN.

CHAPLAIN is also a name given to a printer's workhouse; because, according to some authors, printing was first actually performed in chapels or churches; or, according to others, because Caxton, an early printer, exercised the art in one of the chapels in Westminster Abbey. In this sense they say, the orders or laws of the chapel, the secrets of the chapel, &c.

Knights of the Chapel, called also Poor Knights of Windsor, were instituted by Henry VIII. in his testament. Their number was at first thirteen, but has been since augmented to 26. They assist in the funeral services of the kings of England: they are subject to the office of the canons of Windsor, and live on pensions assigned them by the order of the Garter. They bear a blue or red cloak, with the arms of St George on the left shoulder.