bulll (bul)

t. [ servus servorum Dei (servant of the servants of God) and a salutation, and close with the place and date of execu tion and the subscription of the chancellor or other func tionary of the papal chancery. The distinctive name of a bull is taken from the first word or words of the general introduction which follows the salutation: as, the bull Uni genitus, which begins with the words Uni gen it us Dei, etc., I ued in 1713 by Clement XI., condemning the Jansenist propositions set forth in Quesnel's "Moral Reflections." A brief, though of equal authority with a bull, differs from it in several important points, chiefly of form. It is shorter, relates to subjects of inferior importance, is written in Latin in ordinary Roman letters and on the smooth side of the parchment, uses the word papa instead of epis cop us in the introductory formula, is sealed with red wax instead of lead, and with the pope's private seal, the fisherman's ring, and is never signed by the pope himself, but by a secretary of the papal chancery. Both briefs and bulls belong to a cla of papal documents generically called apostolic letters; these are encyclical when addre ed to the bishops of the Roman Catholic world, and from their contents are called constitutions, decretals (ancient), synodal letters (also ancient), rescripts, motus proprii, etc. Consistorial bulls are i ued after consultation with the consistory of cardinals, and are signed by all the cardinals consulted. The church published her bulls of crusade; offering liberal indulgences to those who served. Pre scott, Ferd. and Isa., Int. The pope has i ued a bull deposing Queen Elizabeth. Macaulay, Disabilities of the Jews. 3. An official letter; an edict; especially, an imperial edict under the Roman or the old German empire. Golden bull, a name given to several celebrated historical documents, from their golden seal. The most notable of these is an edict or imperial constitution made in 1356 by the emperor Charles IV., regulating the mode of procedure in the election and coronation of the emperor.- Leaden bulls, the designation of official dec uments (from their leaden seals) sent by the emperors of Constantinople to patriarchs and princes, by the grandees of the empire, of France, Sicily, etc., and by patriarchs and bishops.