Clergy

Definition of Clergy

Cler´gy
n.1.
1.The body of men set apart, by due ordination, to the service of God, in the Christian church, in distinction from the laity; in England, usually restricted to the ministers of the Established Church.
2.Learning; also, a learned profession.
Sophictry . . . rhetoric, and other cleargy.
- Guy of Warwick.
Put their second sons to learn some clergy.
- State Papers (1515).
3.The privilege or benefit of clergy.
If convicted of a clergyable felony, he is entitled equally to his clergy after as before conviction.
- Blackstone.
Benefit of clergy
(Eng., Law) the exemption of the persons of clergymen from criminal process before a secular judge - a privilege which was extended to all who could read, such persons being, in the eye of the law, clerici, or clerks. This privilege was abridged and modified by various statutes, and finally abolished in the reign of George IV. (1827).
Regular clergy
See Regular, n., and Secular, a.

Related Words

cardinalate, clergyman, first estate, laity, lords spiritual, man of the cloth, pastorate, prelacy, prelature, priesthood, reverend, temporalty
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