a title given to several officers and persons of authority and command, particularly to the chiefs of the orders of knighthood, and some others. Thus we say, the grand master of Malta, of St Lazarus, of the golden fleece, of the free masons, and so of others.

Master (Magister) was a title frequent amongst the Romans. They had their master of the people, magister populi, who was the dictator; the master of the cavalry, magister equitum, who held the second post in an army after the dictator; and there were also masters of the infantry, magistri peditum, and a master of the census, magister censu, who had nothing of the charge of a censor, or sub-censor, as the name seems to intimate, but was the same with the propositus frumentariorum.

Master of the Militia (magister militiae) was an officer in the lower empire, created, as is said, by Diocletian, and having the inspection and government of all the forces, somewhat like a constable of France. At first there were two of these officers instituted, the one for the infantry and the other for the cavalry; but the two were united into one under Constantine. Afterwards, as their power was increased, so was also their number; and there was one appointed for the court, another for Thrace, a third for the East, and a fourth for Illyria. They were afterwards called comites and clarissimi. Their power was only a branch of that of the prefectus praetorii, who by this means became a civil officer.

Master of Arms (magister armorum) was an officer or comptroller under the master of the militia.

Master of the Offices (magister officiorum) had the superintendence of all the officers of the court; he was also called magister officii palatini, simply magister, and his post magisteria. This officer was the same in the western empire with the europalates in the eastern.

Master at Arms is an officer appointed to teach the officers and crew of a ship of war the exercise of small arms, to confine and plant sentinels over prisoners, and to superintend whatever relates to them during their confinement.

Master of Arts, the first degree taken in foreign universities, but the second in ours; candidates not being admitted to it till they have studied in the university a certain number of years.

Master-Attendant is an officer in the royal dock-yards, appointed to hasten and assist at the fitting out or dismantling, removing or securing vessels of war and others, at the port where he resides.

Master of the Ceremonies is an officer instituted by King James I. for the more solemn and honourable reception of ambassadors and strangers of quality, whom he introduces into the presence.

Masters of Chancery are usually chosen out of the barristers of the common law, and sit in chancery, or at the rolls, as assistants to the Lord Chancellor and the Master of the Rolls.

Master of the Horse is reckoned the third great officer of the court, and is an office of great honour and antiquity, and always, when not put in commission, filled by noblemen of the highest rank and abilities.

Master of the Household is an officer under the treasurer of the household. His business is to survey the accounts of the household.

Master of the Mint was anciently the title of him who is now called Warden of the Mint, whose office is to receive the silver and bullion which comes to the mint to be coined, and to take charge thereof.

Master of the Ordnance. See Ordnance.

Master of the Receipts, an officer whose business it was to order all things relating to the performance of plays, masks, balls, and other amusements, at court.

Master of the Rolls, a patent officer for life, who has the custody of the rolls and patents which pass the great seal, and of the records of the chancery. In the absence of the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper, he also sits as judge in the court of chancery, and is by Sir Edward Coke called his assistant. At other times he hears causes in the rolls chapel, and makes orders and decrees. He is also the first of the masters of chancery, and has their assistance at the rolls; but all hearings before him are appealable to the Lord Chancellor.

**Master of a Ship**, an officer to whom is committed the direction of a merchant vessel, who commands it in chief, and is charged with the merchandises on board.

**Master of a Ship of War** is an officer appointed by the commissioners of the navy, to take charge of navigating a ship from port to port under the direction of the captain.

**Master of the Temple.** The founder of the order of the Templars, and all his successors, were called magnum templi magistri; and ever since the dissolution of the order the spiritual guide and director of the house is called by that name.

**Master Load,** in mining, a term used to express the larger vein of a metal, in places where there are several veins in the same mountain. Thus it happens that there are seven, sometimes five, but more usually three veins or loads, parallel to each other, in the same mountain. Of these the middle vein is the largest, and is called the master load.

**Mastication,** the action of chewing or agitating the solid parts of our food between the teeth, by the motion of the jaws, the tongue, and the lips, whereby it is broken into small pieces, impregnated with saliva, and so fitted for deglutition and a more easy digestion.

**Mastic,** a kind of resin exuding from the lenticus tree, and brought from Chio, in small yellowish transparent grains or tears, of an agreeable smell, especially when heated or set on fire.

**Masticot, Massicot, or Yellow Lead,** is the calx or ashes of lead, gently calcined, by which it is changed to yellow of lighter or deeper tint, according to the degree of calcination.

**Mastiff Dog, Band Dog (canis villaticus or catenarius),** is a species of great size and strength, and having a very loud bark. See Mammalia.

**Mastigadour, or Slabbering-bit,** in the manège, a snaffle of iron, all smooth, and of a piece, guarded with paternosters, and composed of three halves of great rings, made into demi-ovals of unequal size, the lesser being enclosed within the greater, which ought to be about half a foot high.

**Masuli,** a large island, 160 miles long by 60 broad, formed by the Brahmaputra River. It is intersected throughout by channels of communication, by which it is converted into a cluster of islands. It is of a very rich soil.

**Masulipatam, or Muchilipatam,** a considerable sea-port of Hindustan, in the Northern Circars, and district of Condapilly. It is defended by a fort, which is of an oblong square figure, 800 yards in length by 600 in breadth, and situated in the midst of a salt morass, close to an inlet or canal, which communicates with the sea and the Krishna, so that the adjoining grounds may be inundated at pleasure; and this constitutes its principal defence. The town is situated a mile and a half to the north-west of the fort, on a plat of ground rising above the fort, and communicates with the fort by a strait causeway 2000 yards in length. It is extensive, and is bounded by another morass, which is never dry, even in the driest season. Masulipatam is situated in a fertile and well-watered territory, and has been long famous for the manufacture of chintzes, which are not, however, so handsome nor of so good a quality as European chintzes. It carries on an extensive trade with China, Pegu, Bengal, Persia, and Arabia. Masulipatam is the only port from Cape Comorin at which the sea is still, and it is capable of receiving vessels of 300 tons burden. It became at an early period a great commercial resort, and still carries on an extensive trade; but rice is yet an article of import, notwithstanding the fertility of the adjacent country. To the Maldive Islands chintz goods and snuff are exported, and cocoa nuts brought back in return. In one year the number of vessels that left the harbour was 755, measuring 31,277 tons; and those that arrived amounted to 727 vessels, measuring 31,048 tons. The Mahomedans conquered Masulipatam in the year 1480. It afterwards came into the possession of the nizam of the Deccan, by whom it was made over to the French in 1751. From them the British took it by storm in 1759, and have ever since retained possession of it; and it is now the residence of the judge, collector, &c. of the district. It is 764 miles travelling distance from Calcutta, 1084 from Delhi, 292 from Madras, and 203 from Hyderabad. Long. 81° 10'. E. Lat. 16° 10'. N.

**Maswey,** a town of Hindustan, in the nabob of Oude's territories, and district of Lucknow, 16 miles north-north-east from the city of Lucknow. Long. 80° 40'. E. Lat. 27° 4'. N.

**Matan,** a small island amongst the Philippines, near the port of Silbu, where the celebrated Magellan was killed in 1521, in an engagement with the natives.

**Mataram,** a large town of Asia, formerly the capital of an empire of that name in the island of Java. It is strong by situation, and is seated in a very fertile, pleasant, and populous country, surrounded with mountains. Long. 111° 25'. E. Lat. 7° 55'. S.

**Mataro,** a city of the province of Catalonia, in Spain. It is about four leagues from Barcelona, in a fertile district, which produces large quantities of the red wine called Bencarlo. It is also a place of considerable manufactures, and makes silks of various kinds, cotton goods, laces, and glass ware. It contains about 15,000 inhabitants, who are very industrious and rich.

**Match,** a kind of rope, slightly twisted, and prepared to retain fire for the uses of artillery, mines, fireworks, and the like.

**Mate of a Ship of War,** an officer under the direction of the master, by whose choice he is generally appointed, to assist him in the several branches of his duty. Accordingly, he is to be particularly attentive to the navigation in his watch, to keep the log regularly, and examine the line and glasses by which the ship's course is measured, and to adjust the sails to the wind in the fore part of the ship. He is to have a diligent attention to the cables, seeing that they are well coiled and kept clean when laid in the tier, and sufficiently served when employed to ride the ship. Finally, he is to superintend and assist at the stowage of the hold, taking especial care that all the ballast and provisions are properly stowed therein.

**Mate of a Merchant Ship,** the officer who commands in the absence of the master thereof, and shares the duty with him at sea; being charged with everything that regards the internal management of the ship, the direction of her course, and the government of her crew.

**Matera,** a city, the capital of a district of the same name, in the province of Basilicata, in the kingdom of Naples. It is the seat of the Archbishop of Matera and Accenza, is well built, and contains, besides a cathedral, six monasteries, with their churches, a collegiate institution for the education of nobles, and a Latin public school. The population amounts to 11,150.

**Materia Medica.** The signification given to this term by different authors has varied very much indeed, some employing it to denote the whole range, and others only a particular department, of that branch of medical science which relates to the means employed for the prevention or in the treatment of diseases. Prophylactic or preventive and remedial or curative means may be re-