tion. + See France, tion. 39 Reforma verfaries, by way of contempt. Their fate was very could never make its way into the kingdom of Naples; Reformas fevere, being perfecuted with unparalleled fury; and nor could either the authority or intreaties of the though many princes of the blood, and of the first no- pope engage the Neapolitans to admit even vifiting inbility, had embraced their fentiments, yet in no part of quifitors. the world did the reformers fuffer fo much. At laft all commotions were quelled by the fortitude and magn° 137, 141 nanimity of Henry IV. who in the year 1598 granted all his fubjects full liberty of conscience by the famous Edict of Nantes, and feemed to have thoroughly efta'blished the reformation throughout his dominions. During the minority of Louis XIV. however, this edict was revoked by Cardinal Mazarine, fince which time the Proteftants have often been cruelly perfecuted; nor was the profeffion of the reformed religion in France at any time fo fafe as in most other countries of Europe. -149. 37 In the Ne See REVOLUtion. In the other parts of Europe the oppofition to the therlands, church of Rome was but faint and ambiguous before છે. the diet of Augsburg. Before that period, however, it appears from undoubted teftimony, that the doctrine of Luther had made a confiderable, though probably fecret, progrefs through Spain, Hungary, Bohemia, Britain, Poland, and the Netherlands; and had in all thefe countries many friends, of whom several repaired to Wittemberg, in order to enlarge their knowledge by means of Luther's converfation. Some of these countries threw off the Romish yoke entirely, and in others a prodigious number of families embraced the principles of the reformed religion. It is certain indeed, and the Roman-catholics themselves acknowledge it without hesitation, that the Papal doctrines and authority would have fallen into ruin in all parts of the world at once, had not the force of the fecular arm been employed to fupport the tottering edifice. In the Netherlands particularly, the most grievous perfecutions took place, fo that by the emperor Charles V. upwards of 100,000 were deftroyed, while ftill greater cruelties were exercifed upon the people by his fon Philip II. The revolt of the United Provinces, however, and motives of real policy, at laft put a stop to these furious proceedings; and, though in many provinces of the Netherlands, the establishment of the Popish religion was still continued, the Proteftants have been long free of the danger of persecution on account of their principles. 38 In Italy. The reformation made a confiderable progrefs in Spain and Italy foon after the rupture between Luther and the Roman pontiff. In all the provinces of Italy, but more efpecially in the territories of Venice, Tufcany, and Naples, the fuperftition of Rome loft ground, and great numbers of people of all ranks expreffed an averfion to the Papal yoke. This occation. ed violent and dangerous commotions in the kingdom of Naples in the year 1546; which, however, were at laft quelled by the united efforts of Charles V. and his viceroy Don Pedro di Toledo. In feveral places the pope put a stop to the progrefs of the reformation, by letting loose the inquifitors; who fpread dreadful marks of their barbarity through the greateft part of Italy. These formidable minifters of fuperftition put fo many to death, and perpetrated fuch horrid acts of cruelty and oppreffion, that most of the reformed confulted their fafety by a voluntary exile, while others returned to the religion of Rome, at leaft in external appearance. But the inquifition, which frighted into the profeffion of Popery feveral Proteftants in other parts of Italy, In Spain, feveral people embraced the Proteftant In Spain. religion, not only from the controversies of Luther, but even from those divines whom Charles V. had brought with him into Germany in order to refute the doctrines of Luther. For thefe doctors imbibed the pretended herefy instead of refuting it, and propagated it more or lefs on their return home. But the inqui fition, which could obtain no footing in Naples, reigned triumphant in Spain, and by the moft dreadful methods frightened the people back into Popery, and fuppreffed the defire of exchanging their fuperftition for a more rational plan of religion. It was indeed prefumed that Charles himself died a Proteftant; and it seems to be certain, that, when the approach of death had diffipated thofe fchemes of ambition and grandeur which had fo long blinded him, his fentiments became much more rational and agreeable to Chriftianity than they had ever been. All the ecclefiaftics who had attended him, as foon as he expired, were fent to the inquifition, and committed to the flames, or put to death by fome other method equally terrible. Such was the fate of Auguftine Cafal, the emperor's preacher; of Conftantine Pontius, his confeffor; of Egidius, whom he had named to the bishopric of Tortofa; of Bartholomew de Caranza, a Dominican, who had been confeffor to King Philip and Queen Mary; with 20 others of lefs note. laud. In England, the principles of the reformation be-In E gan to be adopted as foon as an account of Luther's doctrines could be conveyed thither. In that kingdom there were still great remains of the fect called Lol lards, whofe doctrine refembled that of Luther; and among whom, of confequence, the fentiments of our reformer gained great credit. Henry VIII. king of England at that time was a violent partifan of the church of Rome, and had a particular veneration for the writings of Thomas Aquinas. Being informed that Luther fpoke of his favourite author with contempt, he conceived a violent prejudice against the reformer, and even wrote against him, as we have already obferved. Luther did not hefitate at writing against his majefty, overcame him in argument, and treated him with very little ceremony. The firft step towards public reformation, however, was not taken till the year 1529. Great complaints had been made in England, and of a very ancient date, of the ufurpations of the clergy; and by the prevalence of the Lutheran opinions, thefe complaints were now become more ge neral than before. The Houfe of Commons, finding the occafion favourable, paffed several bills, reftraining the impofitions of the clergy: but what threatened the ecclefiaftical order with the greatest danger were the fevere reproaches thrown out almoft without oppofition in the house against the diffolute lives, ambition, and avarice of the prieits, and their continual encroachments on the privileges of the laity. The bills for regulating the clergy met with oppofition in the House of Lords; and bishop Fisher imputed them to want of faith in the Commons, and to a formed defign, proceeding from heretical and Lutheran principles, of robbing the church of her patrimony, and overturning the national religion. The Commons, however, complain cd [ 49 REF Reforma ed to the king, by their fpeaker Sir Thomas Audley, of these reflections thrown out against them; and the bifhop was obliged to retract his words. tion. Though Henry had not the leaft idea of rejecting any, even of the most abfurd Romifh fuperftitions, yet as the oppreffions of the clergy fuited very ill with the violence of his own temper, he was pleased with every opportunity of leffening their power. In the parlia ment of 1531, he fhowed his defign of humbling the An obfolete ftaclergy in the mott effectual manner. tute was revived, from which it was pretended that it was criminal to fubmit to the legatine power which had been exercised by cardinal Wolfey. By this ftroke the whole body of clergy was declared guilty at once. They were too well acquainted with Henry's difpofition, however, to reply, that their ruin would have been the certain confequence of their not fubmitting to Wolfey's commiffion which had been given by royal authority. Inftead of making any defence of this kind, they chose to throw themselves on the mercy of their fovereign; which, however, it coft them 118,840 l. to A confeffion was likewife extorted from procure. them, that the king was protector and fupreme head of the church of England; though fome of them had the dexterity to get a clause inferted, which invalidated the whole fubmiffion, viz. in fo far as is permitted by the law of Chrift. The king, having thus begun to reduce the power of the clergy, kept no bounds with them afterwards. He did not indeed attempt any reformation in religious matters; nay, he perfecuted moft violently fuch as did attempt this in the leaft. Indeed, the most effential article of his creed feems to have been his own fupremacy; for whoever denied this, was fure to fuffer the moft severe penalties, whether Proteftant or Papift. But an account of the abfurd and cruel conduct of this prince, and of his final quarrel with the pope on account of his refufing a dispensation to marry Anne Boleyn, is given under the article ENGLAND, no 253 292. He died in 1547, and was fucceeded by his only REF tion ] trary laws and the tyrannical yoke of Rome upon the Refo ma people of England. Nor were the methods the em ployed in the cause of superstition better than the cause itself, or tempered by any fentiments of equity or compaffion. Barbarous tortures and death, in the most fhocking forms, awaited those who oppofed her will, or made the least stand against the restoration of Popery. And among many other victims, the learned and pious Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury, who had been one of the moft illuftrious inftruments of the Reformation in England, fell a facrifice to her fury. This odious fcene of perfecution was happily concluded in the year 1558, by the death of the queen, who left no issue; and, as foon as her fucceffor the lady Elizabeth ascended the throne, all things affumed a new and a pleafing afpect. This illuftrious princefs, whose sentiments, counfels, and projects, breathed a spirit fuperior to the natural foftness and delicacy of her fex, exerted this vigorous and manly fpirit in the defence of oppreffed confcience and expiring liberty, broke anew the, defpotic yoke of Papal authority and fuperftition, and, delivering her people from the bondage of Rome, enablished that form of religious doctrine and ecclefiaftical government which still fubfifts in England. This religious establishment differs, in fome refpects, from the plan that had been formed by those whom Edward VI. had employed for promoting the cause of the Reformation, and approaches nearer to the rites and difcipline of former times; though it is widely different, and, in the most important points, entirely oppofite to the principles of the Roman hierarchy. See ENGLAND, no 293, &c. 41 The cause of the reformation underwent in Ireland in Ireland. the fame viciffitudes and revolutions that had attended it in England. When Henry VIII. after the abolition of the Papal authority, was declared fupreme head upon earth of the church of England, George Brown, a native of England, and a monk of the Auguftine order, whom that monarch had created, in the year 1535, archbishop of Dublin, began to act with the utmoit vigour in confequence of this change in the hierarchy. He purged the churches of his diocefe from fuperftition in all its various forms, pulled down images, deftroyed relics, abolished abfurd and idolatrous rites, and, by the influence as well as authority he had in Ireland, caufed the king's fupremacy to be acknowledged in that nation. Henry fhowed, foon after, that this fu premacy was not a vain title; for he banished the In the reign of Edward monks out of that kingdom, confifcated their revenues, and deftroyed their convents. VI. ftill farther progrefs was made in the removal of Popish fuperftitions, by the zealous labours of bifhop Brown, and the aufpicious encouragement he granted But the death of this excellent prince, to all who exerted themselves in the cause of the Reformation. and the acceffion of queen Mary, had like to have changed the face of affairs in Ireland as much as in England; but her defigns were disappointed by a very curious adventure, of which the following account has been copied from the papers of Richard earl of Corke. "Queen Mary having deait feverely with the Proteants in England, about the latter end of her reiga figned a commiffion for to take the fame courfe with Curious dif Popish docthem in Ireland; and to execute the fame with greater appointforce, the nominates Dr Cole one of the commiffioners. G This Doctor coming, with the commiffion, to Chefter for in Scot 43 ment of a on land. tion. d'Augsbourg depuis 1517-1530, in 4 vols 8vo, Beriin Refraction1785, and Mofheim's Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. See alfo !! Refuge. Sleidan De Statu Religionis Reipublice Carolo V.; Cafaris Commentarii; and Father Paul's Hiftory of the Council of Trent. REFRACTION, in general, is the deviation of a moving body from its direct course, occafioned by the different density of the medium in which it moves; or it is a change of direction occafioned by a body's falling obliquely out of one medium into another. The word is chiefly made ufe of with regard to the rays of light. See OPTICS (Index) at Refraction. REFRANGIBILITY OF LIGHT, the difpofition of rays to be refracted. The term is chiefly applied to the difpofition of rays to produce different colours, according to their different degrees of refrangibility. See CHROMATICS and OPTICS paffim. REFRIGERATIVE, in medicine, a remedy which refreshes the inward parts by cooling them; as clyfters,. ptifans, &c. Reforma on his journey, the mayor of that city hearing that her majefty was fending a meffenger into Ireland, and he being a churchman, waited on the Doctor, who in difcourfe with the mayor taketh out of a cloke-bag a leather box, faying unto him, Here is a commiffion that fball afh the Heretics of Ireland, calling the Proteftants by that title. The good woman of the houfe being well affected to the Proteftant religion, and alfo having a brother named John Edmonds of the fame, then a citizen in Dublin, was much troubled at the Doctor's words; but watching her convenient time while the mayor took his leave, and the Doctor complimented him down the ftairs, the opens the box, takes the commiffion out, and places in lieu thereof a fheet of paper with a pack of cards wrapt up therein, the knave of clubs being faced uppermoft. The Doctor coming up to his chamber, fufpecting nothing of what had been done, put up the box as formerly. The next day going to the water.fide, wind and weather ferving him, he fails towards Ireland, and landed on the 7th of October 1558 at Dublin. Then coming to the caftle, the Lord Fitz-Walters being lord-deputy, fent for him to come before him and the privy-council; who, coming in, after he had made a fpeech relating upon what account he came over, he prefents the box unto the lord-deputy; who caufing it to be opened, that the fecretary might read the commiffion, there was nothing fave a pack of cards with the knave of clubs uppermoft ; which not only ftartled the lord-deputy and council, but the Doctor, who affured them he had a commiffion, but knew not how it was gone. Then the lord-deputy made anfwer: Let us have another commiflion, and we will fhuffle the cards in the meanwhile. The Doctor being troubled in his mind, went away, and returned into England, and coming to the court obtained another commiffion; but ftaying for a wind on the water-fide, news came to him that the queen was dead: and thus God preferved the Proteftants of Ireland." Queen Elizabeth was fo delighted with this story, which was related to her by lord Fitz-Walter on his return to England, that she fent for Elizabeth Edmonds, whofe husband's name was Matterfbad, and gave her a penfion of 40 1. during her life. 43 Of the Reformation in ScotLand. In Scotland, the feeds of reformation were very early fown, by feveral noblemen who had refided in Germany during the religious difputes there. But for many years it was fuppreffed by the power of the pope, feconded by inhuman laws and barbarous executions. The moft eminent oppofer of the Papal jurifdiction was John Knox, a difciple of Calvin, a man of great zeal and invincible fortitude. On all occafions he raised the drooping fpirits of the reformers, and encouraged them to go on with their work notwithstanding the oppofition and treachery of the queen-regent; till at laft, in 1561, by the affiftance of an English army fent by Elizabeth, Popery was in a manner totally extirpated throughout the kingdom. From this period the form of doctrine, worfhip, and difcipline established by Calvin at Geneva, has had the afcendancy in Scotland. But for an account of the difficulties which the Scottish reformers had to ftruggle with, and the manner in which these were overcome, &c. fee SCOTLAND. For further information on the fubject of the reformation in general, we refer our readers to the works of Burnet and Brandt, to Beaufobre's Hiftoire de la Reformation dans l'Empire, et les Etats de la Confeffion REFRIGERATORY, in chemistry, a veffel filled? with cold water, through which the worm passes in diftillations; the ufe of which is to condenfe the vapours as they pass through the worm. CITIES OF REFUGE, were places provided as Afyla, for fuch as against their will should happen to kill a man. Of thefe cities there were three on each fide Jordan: on this fide were Kedeth of Naphtali, Hebron, and Schechem; beyond Jordan were Bezer, Golan, and Ramoth-Gilead. When any of the Hebrews, or ftrangers that dwelt in their country, happened to fpill the blood of a man, they might retire thither to be out of the reach of the violent attempts of the relations of the deceafed, and to prepare for their defence and justifica tion before the judges. The manflayer underwent two trials: firft before the judges of the city of refuge to which he had fled; and fecondly before the judges of his own city. If found guilty, he was put to death. with all the feverity of the law. If he was acquitted, he was not immediately fet at liberty; but, to infpire a degree of horror against even involuntary homicide, he was reconducted to the place of refuge, and obliged to continue there in a fort of banishment till the death of the high-prieft. If, before this time, he ventured out, the revenger of blood might freely kill him; but after the high-prieft's death he was at liberty to go where he pleafed without moleftation. It was neceffary that the perfon who fled to any of the cities of refuge should underftand fome trade or calling, that he might not be burthenfome to the inhabitants. The cities of refuge were required to be well fupplied with water and neceffary provifions. They were also to be of eafy accefs, to have good roads leading to them,. with commodious bridges where there was occafion.. The width of the roads was to be 32 cubits or 48 feet at leaft. It was further required, that at all cross-ways. direction-pofts fhould be erected, with an infcription pointing out the road to the cities of refuge. The 15th of Adar, which anfwers to our February moon, was appointed for the city magiftrates to fee that the roads were in good condition. No perfon in any of thefe cities was allowed to make weapons, left the rela tions of the deceased should be furnished with the means of gratifying their revenge. Deut. xix. 3. iv. 41. 43.3Joh. xx. 7. Three other cities of refuge were condi tionally promised, but never granted. See ASYLUM. noblemen given to the gondoliers in their fervice; the Regata. defire of honours and rewards in the afpirants; and, in the midft of all this, that ingenious national industry, which awakes the Venetians from their habitual indolence, to derive advantage from the business and agitation of the moment: all thefe circumftances united give to the numerous inhabitants of this lively city a degree of fpirit and animation which render it during that time a delightful abode in the eyes of the philofopher and the ftranger. Crowds of people flock from the adjacent parts, and travellers joyfully repair to this fcene of gaiety and pleasure. dola. Although it is allowable for any man to go and infcribe his name in the lift of combatants until the fixed number is complete, it will not be amifs to remark one thing, which has relation to more ancient times. The ftate of a gondolier is of much confideration among See Ger the people; which is very natural, that having been the primitive condition of the inhabitants of this country. But, befides this general confideration, there are among them fome families truly diftinguifhed and respected by their equals, whofe antiquity is acknowledged, and who, on account of a fucceffion of virtuous men, able in their profeffion, and honoured for the prizes they have carried off in thefe contefts, form the body of noble gondoliers; often more worthy of that title than the higher order of nobility, who only derive their honours from the merit of their ancestors, or from their own riches. The confideration for thofe families is carried fo far, that, in the difputes frequently arifing among the gondoliers in their ordinary paffage of the canals, we fometimes fee a quarrel inftantly made up by the fimple interpofition of a third perfon, who has chanced to be of this reverend body. They are rigid with refpect to mifalliances in their families, and they endeavour recipro cally to give and take their wives among thofe of their own rank. But we must remark here, with pleasure, that these diftinctions infer no inequality of condition, nor admit any oppreffion of inferiors, being founded folely on laudable and virtuous opinions. Diftinctions derived from fortune only, are thofe which always outrage nature, and often virtue. In general, the competitors at the great regatas are chofen from among thele families of reputation. As foon as they are fixed upon for this exploit, they fpend the intermediate time in preparing themfelves for it, by a daily affiduous and fatiguing exercise. If they are in fervice, their mafters during that time not only give them their liberty, but also augment their wages. This custom would feem to indicate, that they look upon them as perfons confecrated to the honour of the nation, and under a fort of obligation to contribute to its glory. At laft the great day arrives. Their relations affemble together: they encourage the heroes, by calling to their minds the records of their families; the women prefent the oar, befeeching them, in an epic tone, to remember that they are the fons of famous men, whofe fteps they will be expected to follow: this they do with as much folemnity as the Spartan women prefented the fhield to their fons, bidding them either return with or upon it. Religion, as practifed among the lower clafs of people, has its fhare in the preparations for this enterprize. They caufe maffes to be faid; they make vows to fome particular church; and they arm their boats for the contest with the images of those faints who are moft in vogue. Sorcerers are not forgotten G2 Refugees REFUGEES, a term at first applied to the French Proteftants, who, by the revocation of the edict of Regata. Nantz, were conftrained to fly from perfecution, and take refuge in foreign countries. Since that time, however, it has been extended to all fuch as leave their country in times of diftrefs; and hence, fince the revolt of the British colonies in America, we have frequently heard of American refugees. REGALE, a magnificent entertainment or treat, given to ambassadors and other perfons of diftinction, to entertain or do them honour. It is ufual in Italy, at the arrival of a traveller of éminence, to fend him a regale, that is, a prefent of fweetmeats, fruits, &c. by way of refreshment. REGALIA, in law, the rights and prerogatives of a king. See PREROGATIVE. Regalia is also used for the apparatus of a coronation; as the crown, the fceptre with the crofs, that with the dove, St Edward's ftaff, the globe, and the orb with the crofs, four feveral fwords, &c.-The regalia of Scotland were depofited in the caftle of Edinburgh in the year 1707, in what is called the feel Office. This room was late., opened by fome commiffioners appointed by the king, when the large cheft in which it is fuppofed they were placed was found; but as it has not, that we have heard of, been opened, it is impoffible to say whether they be there or not. It is very generally thought they were carried to the Tower of London in the reign of Queen Anne; and a crown is there fhewn which is called the Scotch crown. We do not believe, however, that that is the real crown of Scotland; and think it probable that the Scotch regalia are in the cheft which was lately found. If they are not there, they must have been taken away by ftealth, and either destroyed or melted down, for we do not believe that they are in the Tower of London. LORD of REGALITY, in Scots law. See Law, n° clviii. 4. COURT of REGARD. See FOREST-Courts. REGARDANT, in heraldry, fignifies looking behind; and it is used for a lion, or other beaft, with his 'face turned towards his tail. REGARDER, an ancient officer of the king's foreft, fworn to make the regard of the foreft every year; that is, to take a view of its limits, to inquire into all offences and defaults committed by the forefters within the foreft, and to obferve whether all the officers èxecuted their refpective duties. See FOREST Laws REGATA, or REGATTA, a fpecies of amufement peculiar to the republic of Venice. This spectacle has the power of exciting the greateft emotions of the heart, admiration, enthufiafm, a fenfe of glory, and the whole train of our beft feelings. The grand regata is only exhibited on particular occafions, as the vifits of foreign princes and kings at Venice. It is difficult to give a juft idea of the ardour that the notice of a regata fpreads among all claffes of the inhabitants of Venice. Proud of the exclufive privilege of giving fuch a fpectacle, through the wonderful local circumftances of their city, they are highly delighted with making preparations a long time before, in order to contribute all they can towards the perfection and enjoyment of the spectacle. A thousand interefts are formed and augmented every day; parties in favour of the different competitors who are known; the protection of young upon Regata. upon this occafion. For gondoliers who have loft the race often declare, that witchcraft had been practifed against them, or certainly they muft have won the day. Such a fuppofition prevents a poor fellow from thinking ill of himself; an opinion that might be favourable to him another time. The courfe is about four miles. The boats ftart from a certain place, run through the great winding canal, which divides the town into two parts, turn round a picket, and, coming back the fame way, go and feize the prize, which is fixed at the acuteft angle of the great canal, on the convex fide, fo that the point of fight may be the more extended, and the prize feized in the fight of the spectators on both fides. According to the number of competitors, different races are performed in different forts of boats; fome with one oar and others with two. The prizes proposed are four, indicated by four flags of different colours, with the different value of the prizes marked upon them.— Thefe flags, public and glorious monuments, are the prizes to which the competitors particularly aspire. But the government always adds to each a genteel fum of money; befides that the conquerors, immediately after the victory, are furrounded by all the beau monde, who congratulate and make them prefents; after which they go, bearing their honourable trophy in their hand, down the whole length of the canal, and receive the applaufe of innumerable spectators. This grand canal, ever ftriking by the fingularity and beauty of the buildings which border it, is, upon thefe occafions, covered with an infinity of fpectators, in all forts of barges, boats, and gondolas. The ele. ment on which they move is fcarcely feen; but the noife of oars, the agitation of arms and bodies in perpetual motion, indicate the spectacle to be upon the water. At certain distances, on each fide of the fhore, are erected little amphitheatres and scaffoldings, where are placed bands of mufic; the harmonious found of which predominates now and then over the buzzing noife of the people. Some days before a regata, one may fee on the great canal many boats for pleasure and entertainment. The young noble, the citizen, the rich artizan, mounts a long boat of fix or eight oars; his gondoliers decorated with rich and fingular dreffes, and the veffel itself adorned with various stuffs. Among the nobles there are always a number who are at a confiderable expence in these decorations; and at the regata itfelf exhibit on the water perfonages of mythologic flory, with the heroes of antiquity in their train, or amufe themfelves with reprefenting the coftumi of dif ferent nations in fhort, people contribute with a mad fort of magnificence, from all quarters, to this mafquerade, the favourite diverfion of the Venetians. But thefe great machines, not being the lefs in motion on account of their ornaments, are not merely deftined to grace the show they are employed at the regata, at every moment, to range the people, to protect the courfe, and to keep the avenue open and clear to the goal. The nobility, kneeling upon cushions at the prow of their veffels, are attentive to these matters, and announce their orders to the most reftive, by darting at them little gilded or filvered balls, by means of certain bows, with which they are furnished on this occafion. And this is the only appearance of coercion in the Venetian police on these days of the greatest tumult: nor is there to be feen, in any part of the city, a body of guards or patrol, nor even a gun or a halbert. The mildness of the nation, its gaiety, its education in the habit of believing that the government is ever awake, that it knows and fees every thing; its refpectful attachment to the body of patricians; the fole afpect of certain officers of the police in their robes, difperfed in different places, at once operate and explain that tranquillity, that fecurity, which we fee in the midft of the greateft confufion, and that furprising docility in fo lively and fiery a people. Regattas have been attempted on the river Thames, but they were but humble imi tations of the Venetian amusement. REGEL, or RIGEL, a fixed flar of the firft magnitude, in Orion's left foot. REGENERATION, in theology, the act of being born again by a spiritual birth, or the change of heart and life experienced by a perfon who forfakes a course of vice, and fincerely embraces a life of virtue and piety. REGENSBURG, or RATISBON. See RATISBON. REGENT, one who governs, a kingdom during the minority or absence of the king. In France, the queen-mother had the regency of the kingdom during the minority of the king, under the title of queen-regent. In England, the methods of appointing this guardian or regent have been fo various, and the duration of his power fo uncertain, that from hence alone it may be collected that his office is unknown to the common law; and therefore (as Sir Edward Coke fays, 4 Inft. 58.) the fureft way is to have him made by authority of the great council in parliament. The earl of Pembroke by his own authority affumed in very troublefome times the regency of Henry III. who was then. only nine years old; but was declared of full age by the pope at 17, confirmed the great charter at 18, and took upon him the administration of the government at 20. A guardian and councils of regency were named for Edward III. by the parliament, which depofed his father; the young king being then 15, and not affuming the government till three years after. When Richard II. fucceeded at the age of 11, the duke of Lancaster took upon him the management of the kingdom till the parlia ment met, which appointed a nominal council to affist him. Henry V. on his death-bed named a regent and a guardian for his infant fon Henry VI. then nine months old: but the parliament altered his disposition, and appoint. ed a protector and council, with a special limited authority. Both these princes remained in a state of pupilage till the age of 23. Edward V. at the age of 13, was recommended by his father to the care of the duke of Gloucefter; who was declared protector by the privycouncil. The ftatutes 25 Hen. VIII. c. 12. and 28 Hen. VIII. c. 7. provided, that the fucceffor, if a male and under 18, or if a female and under 16, should be till fuch age in the governance of his or her natural mother, (if approved by the king), and fuch other counsellors as his majesty should by will or otherwise appoint: and he accordingly appointed his 16 executors to have the government of his fon Edward VI. and the kingdom, which executors elected the earl of Hartford protector. The ftatutes 24 Geo. II. c. 24. in cafe the crown fhould defcend to any of the children of Frederic late prince of Wales under the age of 18, appointed the princefs dowager;-and that of 5 Geo. III. c. 27. in cafe of a like defcent to any of his prefent majesty's children, empowers the king to name either the queen Regel Regent |