ARCHBISHOP, the name of a church dignitary of the first class. Archbishops were not known in the East till about the year 320; and though there were some soon after this who had the title, yet that was only a personal honour, by which the bishops of considerable cities were distinguished. It was not till of late that archbishops became metropolitans, and had suffragans under them. Athanasius appears to be the first who used the title Archbishop, which he gave occasionally to his predecessor; Gregory Nazianzen, in like manner, gave it to Athanasius; not that either of them was entitled to any jurisdiction, or even any precedence, in virtue of it. Among the Latins, Isidore Hispalensis is The first that speaks of archbishops. He distinguishes four orders or degrees in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, viz. patriarchs, archbishops, metropolitans, and bishops.

The archbishop, beside the inspection of the bishops and inferior clergy in the province over which he presides, exercises episcopal jurisdiction in his own diocese. He is guardian of the spiritualities of any vacant see in his province, as the king is of the temporalities, and exercises ecclesiastical jurisdiction in it. He is entitled to present by lapse to all the ecclesiastical livings in the disposal of his diocesan bishop, if not filled within six months. He has likewise a customary prerogative, upon consecrating a bishop, to name a clerk or chaplain, to be provided for by such bishop; in lieu of which it is now usual to accept an option. He is said to be enthroned when vested m the archbishopric, whereas bishops are said to be installed.

Ιhe ecclesiastical government of England is divided into two provinces, viz. Canterbury and York. Canterbury has the following suffragan bishoprics appertaining t0 it: St Asaph, Bangor, Bath and Wells, Bristol, Chichester, Lichfield and Coventry, St Davids, Ely, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Llandaflf, Lincoln, London, Norwich,

Oxford, Peterborough, Rochester, Salisbury, Winchester, and Worcester. To York appertain the bishoprics of Carlisle, Chester, and Durham; to which may be added the bishopric of Sodor and Man, whose bishop is not a lord of parliament.

The archbishop of Canterbury had anciently, viz. till the year 1152, jurisdiction over Ireland as well as England, and was styled a patriarch, and sometimes alterius orbis papa, and orbis Britannici pontifex. Matters were done and recorded in his name thus,— Anno pontificatus nostri primo, &c. The first archbishop of Canterbury was Austin, appointed by King Ethelbert on his conversion to Christianity, about the year 598. He was also legatus natus. He even enjoyed some special marks of royalty; as to be patron of a bishopric, which he was of Rochester; and to make knights, coin moneys, &c. The archbishop is still the first peer of England, and the next to the royal family, having precedence of all dukes and all great officers of the crown. It is his privilege, by custom, to crown the kings and queens of this kingdom. He may retain and qualify eight chaplains, whereas a duke is allowed by statute only six. He has, by common law, the power of probate of wills and testaments, and granting letters of administration. He has also a power to grant licences and dispensations in all cases formerly sued for in the court of Rome, and not repugnant to the law of God. He accord-ly issues special licences to marry, to hold two livings, &c. and he exercises the right of conferring degrees. He also holds several courts of judicature; as court of arches, court of audience, prerogative court, and court of peculiars.

The archbishop of York has the like rights in his province as the archbishop of Canterbury. He has precedence of all dukes not of the royal blood, and of all officers of state, except the lord high chancellor. He has also the rights of a count palatine over Hexhamshire. The first archbishop of York was Paulinus, appointed by Pope Gregory about the year 622. He had formerly jurisdiction over all the bishops of Scotland; but in the year 1470 Pope Sextus IV. created the bishop of St Andrews archbishop and metropolitan of all Scotland.

Scotland, whilst episcopacy prevailed in that country, had two archbishops, of St Andrews and Glasgow, the former of which was accounted the metropolitan, and, even before it arrived at the dignity of an archbishopric, resisted with great spirit all the attempts of the archbishops of York in England to become the metropolitans of Scotland. The sees of Argyll, Galloway, and the Isles, were suffragans to Glasgow; all the others in the kingdom to St Andrews.

Ireland has four archbishops—of Armagh, Dublin, Cashel, and Tuam; the first of which is primate of all Ireland.