the lowest grade in the church of England; he who represents the incumbent of a church, whether parson or vicar, and performs divine service in his stead. In case of pluralities of livings, or where a clergyman is old and infirm, it is requisite there should be a curate to perform the cure of the church. He is to be licensed, and admitted by the bishop of the diocese, or by an ordinary having episcopal jurisdiction; and when a curate has the approbation of the bishop, the latter usually appoints the salary too. In such case, if he be not paid, the curate has a proper remedy in the ecclesiastical court, by a sequestration of the profits of the benefice; but if the curate be not licensed by the bishop, he is put to his remedy at common law, where of course he must prove the agreement. A curate having no fixed estate in his curacy, from not being instituted and inducted, may be removed at pleasure by the bishop or incumbent. But there are perpetual curates as well as temporary, who are appointed where the tithes are impropriated, and no vicarage endowed. These are not removeable, and the impropriators are obliged to find them. Some of them have certain portions of the tithes settled on them. Every clergyman who officiates in a church, whether as incumbent or substitute, is called a curate in the liturgy. Curates must subscribe the declaration according to the act of uniformity, or they are liable to imprisonment and other penalties.