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known in the empire ; so called, because, like tiie great constableof France, (an office suppressed by Lewis XIII.) as well as thelord high constable of England, he was to regulate all matters ofChivalrv, lilts, tournaments, and feats of arms, which were per-formed on horseback.

Constable, I,om High, of England, is the 7th great of-ficer of the crown ; and he with the earl marshal of England, wereformerly judges of the court of chivalry, called in king HenryIV.’s time Curia Militaris, and now the court of honour. It istire fountain of the martial law, and anciently was held in theking’s hall. The power of the lord high constable was formerlyso great, and of which so improper a use was made, that so earlyas the i3th of king Richard 11. a statute passed for regulating andabridging it, together with that of the earl marshal of England;and by tills statute, no plea could he tried by them or theircourls,that could be tried bv the common law of the realm. The officeof constable is said to have existed before the conquest. Afterthe conquest, the office went with inheritance, and by the tenureof the manors of Harlelield, Newham, and Whitenhurst, in Glou-cestershire, by grand sergeant-y, in the family of the Bohuns earl ofHereford and Essex, anu afterwards in the line of Stafford as heirsgeneral to them; but in 1521, this great office became forfeitedto the king in the person of Edw ard Stafford duke of Buckingham,who was that year attainted for high treason ; and in considerationof its extensive power, dignity, and large authority, both in warand peace, it has never been granted to any person, otherwisethan line vice, to attend at a coronation, or trial by combat.

Con stable, Lord High, of Scotland, is an office of greatantiquity and digniiv. The fir-t upon record is Hugo de Mor-velle in the reign of David I. lie has two grand prerogatives, viz.1. The keeping of the king’s sword, which the king, at his pro-motion, when he swears fealty, delivers to him naked, lieneetiie badge of the constable is a naked sword. 2. The unlimitedcommand of the king’s armies in the field, in the absence of theking; but this command did not extend to castles and garrisons.H e was likewise judge of all crimes committed within two leaguesof the king’s house, which precinct was called the Chalmer ofPeace.

Constables, Inferior. From the great office of high consta-ble is derived that inferior order, since called the constables ofhundreds and franchises; these were first ordained in the 13th yearof Edward I. by the statute of Winchester: which, from the con-servation of the peace, and view of armour, appointed that twoconstables should be chosen in every hundred and franchise.These are what we now call constabularii capitalcs or High Con-stables; because continuance of time, and increase of people, See.have occasioned others of like nature, but inferior authority, inevery town, called petty constables, or sub-conslabularii, first in-stituted about the reign of Edward III. The former, or modernhigh constables, are appointed at the court leets of the franchise orhundred over which they preside; or, in default of that, by the.justice at their quarter sessions ; and are removeable bv the sameauthority that appoints them. The petty constables have two of-fices united in them, the one ancient and the other modern.Their ancient office is that of head-borough, tithing-man, or bors-holder; who are as ancient as the time of king Alfred ; their moremodem office is that of a constable merely : which was appointedso lately as the reign of Edward Ill. to assist the high constable.And in general the ancient lread-boroughs, tithing-men, and bors-nolders, were made use of to serve as petty constables ; thoughnot so generally, but that in many places they still continue dis-tinct officers from the constables. They are all chosen by thejury at the court-lect; or if no coiirl-leet be held, are appointed bytwo justices of the peace. The general duly of all constables,both high and petty, as well as the other officers, is to keep theking’s peace in their several districts; and to that purpose theyare armed with very large pow ers of arresting and imprisoning, ofbreaking open houses and the like ; ofthe extent of which powers,considering what manner of men are for the must part put uponthese offices, it is perhaps very well they are generally kept in ig-norance. One of their principal duties arising from the statute ofWinchester, which appoints them, is to keep w atch and ward intheir respective jurisdictions. The constable may appoint watch-men at his discretion, regulated by the custom of the place; andthese, being his deputies, have, for the time being, the authorityof their principal.

CONSTADT, a town of Silesia in the principality of Ocjs, 13miles E. S. E. of Natnslau.

CONSTANCE, a strong town of Germany, in the circle olSuabia, sealed between two lakes, 35 miles N. E. of Zurich.Lon. 9. 10. E. Lat. 47, 38. N.

Constance, Lower, or Zeller Zee, a lake between Ge*«many and Switzerland, l(j miles long and 10 broad.

Constance,Upper, or Baden Zee, a large lake between Hermany and Switzerland, 45 miles long and 18 broad. The Rhineruns through both it and the lower lake.

Constancy, in ethics, implies steadiness, particularly' undeVsufferings. It was the saying of a heathen philosopher, That therecannot be imagined upon earth a spectacle more worthy (he re-gard of the Creator, than a brave man superior to his sufferings.Nothing indeed can be more honourable than to have courage toexecute the commands of reason and conscience; and to beproof against poverty, pain, and death itself, so far as not todo any tiling that is scandalous or sinful to avoid them. Of thisvirtue the following example is selected, as at least equal to anyother upon record ; though the martyrology of Scotland furnishesmany not inferior. Sir William Askew of Kelsay, in Lincoln-shire, had several daughters, llis second, named Anne, had re-ceived a genteel education ; which, with an agreeable figure andgood understanding, rendered her a very proper person to he atthe head of a family, Her father, regardless of his daughter's in-clination and happiness, obliged her to marry a gentleman whohad nothing to recommend him but his fortune, and who was amost bigoted Papist. No sooner was he convinced of his wife’sregard tor the doctrines of the reformation, than, by the instiga-tion of the priests, he violently drove her from his house, thoughshe had horn him two children, and her conduct was unexception-able. Abandoned by her husband, she tame up to London, toprocure a divorce, and make herself known to that part of thecourt v ho cither professed or were favourers fef Protestantism ;but as IlenryVIil. had just enacted the law of the six articles,commonly called the bloody statute, she was cruelly betrayed byher own liusband ; and, upon his information, taken into custody,and examined concerning her Faith. The act denounced deailiagainst all who should deny transubstanlialion ; or, maintain thenecessity of receiving the sacrament in both kinds; or affirm, thatit was lawful for priests to marry ; that the vows of celibacy mightbe broken ; that private masses were of no avail; and that auri-cular confession to a priest was not necessary to salvation. Uponthese articles she was examined by the inquisitor, a priest, the lordmayor of London, and the bishop’s chancellor ; and to all theirqueries gave proper answers ; but not being such as they approv-ed, she was sent hack to prison, where she remained eleven davsalone, being denied the small consolation of a friendly visit. Tiieking’s council being at Greenwich, she was once more examinedby chancellor Wriothesley, Gardiner bishop of Winchester, Dr.Cox, and Dr. Robinson ; but not being able to convince her ofher supposed errors, she was sent to the tower. Mr. Strype, froman authentic paper, gives the following short account of her exa-mination :—“ Sir Martin Bowes (lord mayor) sitting with thecouncil, as most meet for his wisdom, and seeing her stand uponlife and death, I pray you, quoth lie, my lords, give me leave totalk to this woman ? Leave was granted, lord Mayor. Thoufoolish woman, sayest thou that the priest cannot make the holybodv of Christ? A. Askew. I say so, my lord: for I have readthat God made man ; hut that man made God I never read ; uorI suppose ever shall read it. L. At. No! Thou foolish woman,after the words of consecration, is it not the Lord’s body } A. A.No: it is but consecrated bread, or sacramental bread. I.. M,What if a mouse eat it after consecration ; what shall become ofthis mouse? what sayest thou, thou foolish woman? A. A. Whatshall become of her, say you, my lord? /...■!/, I say, that themouse is damned. A. A. Alack, poor mouse !” Perceiving thatsome could not keep in their laughing, the c ouncil proceeded tothe butchery and slaughter that they intcndeif before they camethere. It was strongly suspected, that Mrs, Askew was favouredby some ladies of high rank ; and that she carried on a religiouscorrespondence with the queen. So that the chancellor Wriothes-ley, hoping that he might discover something that would affordmatter of impeachment against that princess, the Earl of Hertford,or his countess, who all favoured reformation, ordered her to heI put to the rack; but her fortitude in sutlering, and her resolution

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