Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

EQUITABLE

426

EPILEPSY

custom obtained in England long after sev eral constitutions were made to abolish it. Blount. Episcopus teneat placitum, in curia christianitatis, de iis quae mere sunt spiritualia. 12 Coke, 44. A bishop may hold plea in a Court Christian of thingi merely spiritual. EPISTOLA. A letter; a charter; an in strument in writing for conveyance of lands or assurance of contracts. Calvin; Spel man. EPISTOLJE. In the civil law. Re scripts; opinions given by the emperors in cases submitted to them for decision. Answers of the emperors to petitions. The answers of counsellors, (juris-con sulti,) as Ulpian and others, to questions of law proposed to them, were also called "epis tolce." Opinions written out. The term original ly signified the same as literce. Vicat. EPOCH. The time at which a new com putation is begun; the time whence dates are numbered. Enc. Lond. EQUALITY. The condition of possess ing the same rights, privileges, and immuni ties, and being liable to the same duties. Equality is equity. Fran. Max. 9, max. 3. Thus, where an heir buys in an incumbrance for less than is due upon it, (except it be to protect an incumbrance to which he himself is entitled,) he shall be allowed no more than what he really paid for it, as against other incumbrancers upon the estate. 2 Vent. 353; 1 Vern. 49; 1 Salk. 155. EQUERRY. An officer of state under the master of the horse. EQUES. Lat. In Roman and old En glish law. A knight. EQUILOCUS. An equal. It is men tioned in Simeon Dunelm, A. D. 882. Jacob. EQUINOXES. The two periods of the year (vernal equinox about March 21st, and autumnal equinox about September 22d) when the time from the rising of the sun to its setting is equal to the time from its set ing to its rising. See Dig. 43, 13, 1, 8. EQUITABLE. Just; conformable to the principles of natural justice and right. Just, fair, and right, in consideration of the facts and circumstances of the individual case.

ing at a given place and time. 86 ^T. Y. Su per. Ct. 234. EPILEPSY. In medical jurisprudence. A disease of the brain, which occurs in par oxysms with uncertain intervals between them. EPIMENIA. Expenses or gifts. Blount. EPIPHANY. A Christian festival, oth erwise called the "Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles," observed on the 6th of Janu ary, in honor of the appearance of the star to the three magi, or wise men, who came to adore the Messiah, and bring him presents. It is commonly called "Twelfth Day." Enc. Lond. EPIQUEYA. In Spanish law. A term synonymous with "equity" in one of its senses, and defined as "the benignant and prudent interpretation of the law according to the circumstances of the time, place, and person." EPISCOPACY. The office of overlook ing or overseeing; the office of a bishop, who is to overlook and oversee the concerns of the church. A form of church government by diocesan bishops. EPISCOPALIA. In ecclesiastical law. Synodals, pentecostals, and other customary payments from the clergy to their diocesan bishop, formerly collected by the rural deans. Cowell. EPISCOPALIAN. Of or pertaining to episcopacy, or to the Episcopal Church. EPISCOPATE. A bishopric. The dig nity or office of a bishop. EPISCOPUS. In the civil law. An overseer; an inspector. A municipal officer who had the charge and oversight of the bread •and other provisions which served the citi zens for their daily food. Vicat. In medieval history. A bishop; a bishop of the Christian church. Episcopus alterius mandate* quam re gis non tenetur obtemperare. Co. Litt. 134. A bishop needs not obey any mandate save the king's. EPISCOPUS PUERORUM. It was an old custom that upon certain feasts some lay person should plait his hair, and put on the garments of a bishop, and in them pretend to exercise episcopal jurisdiction, and do sev eral ludicrous actions, for which reason he was called "bishop of the boys;" and this

Archive CD Books USA