Scripture history, the eldest son of Joseph, and grandson of the patriarch Jacob (Gen. xii. 50. 51.) was born in the year of the world 2290, before Jesus Christ 1714.

The tribe descended from him came out of Egypt, in number 32,200 men fit for battle, upwards of 20 years old, under the conduct of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur (Numb. ii. 20. 21.). This tribe was divided at their entrance into the land of Promise. One half had its portion beyond the river Jordan, and the other half on this side the river. The half tribe of Manasseh which settled beyond the river possessed the country of Bashan, from the river Jabbok to Mount Libanus, (Numb. xxii. 33. 34. &c.) and the other half tribe of Manassch on this side Jordan, obtained for its inheritance the country between the tribe of Ephraim to the south Manasseh south of the tribe of Issachar to the north, having the river Jordan to the east and the Mediterranean sea to the west, (Josh. xvii.).

the 15th king of Judah, being the son and successor of Hezekiah. His acts are recorded in 2 Kings, xx. xxi. and 2 Chr. xxxiii.

**MANATI.** See Trichecus, Mammalia Index.

**MANCA,** was a square piece of gold coin, commonly valued at 30 pence; and **mancusa** was as much as a mark of silver, having its name from **mane cusa**, being coined with the hand: *(Leg. Caunt).* But the **manca** and **mancusa** were not always of that value; for sometimes the former was valued at six shillings, and the latter, as used by the English Saxons, was equal in value to our half crown. **Manca sex solidis æstimatur,** *(Leg. H. i. c. 69.)* Thorn in his chronicle, tells us, that **mancusa est pondus duorum solidorum et sex denariorium**; and with him agrees Du Cange, who says, that 20 **mancæ** make 50 shillings. **Manca** and **mancusa** are promiscuously used in the old books for the same money.

**MANCHA,** a territory of Spain in the province of New Castile, lying between the river Guadiana and Andalusia. It is a mountainous country; and it was here that the famous Don Quixote was supposed to perform his exploits.

**MANCHESTER,** a town of Lancashire in England, situated in W. Long. 2° 42' N. Lat. 53° 27'. Mr Whitaker conjectures, that the station was first occupied by the Britons about 500 years B.C., but that it did not receive any thing like the form of a town till 450 years after, or 50 years B.C., when the Britons of Cheshire made an irruption into the territories of their southern neighbours, and of consequence alarmed the Sestuntii, or inhabitants of Lancashire, so much, that they began to build fortresses, in order to defend their country. Its British name was **Mancenion,** that is, "a place of tents:" it was changed, however, into **Mancunium** by the Romans, who conquered it under Agricola in the memorable year of the Christian era 79. It appears also to have been called **Manduc-sedum,** **Manduc-sedum,** **Manucium,** and **Manecstre**; from which last it seems most evident that the present name has been derived. It is distant from London 182 miles, and from Edinburgh 214; standing near the confluence of the Irk and the Irwell, about three miles from the Mersey.