CHANCE, a term applied to events that are supposed to happen without. any known or necessary cause; or, rather, of which the cause is such that they may happen in one Way as well as another. Thus, when a piece of money is tossed up in the air, as no reason can be given why it should fall on one side rather than on the other, it is said to be an even chance which of the sides shall turn up.
Clf ANTEL, that part of the choir of a church between the altar and the balus trade that Meioses it, where the minister is placed at the celebration of the Coin ninnion. The chancel is also the rector's freehold and part of his glebe, and there fore he is obliged to repair it; but where the rectory is imprepriate, the hnpro printer must do it CrIANTELLOR Under the Roman emperors, a chancellor signified a chief notary or scribe; lint in England it means an officer invested with high ju dicial powers.—Dhe Lord High. Chan cellor of Great Britain is one of the prin cipal officers of the civil government, created without writ or patent, by the mere delivery of the king's great seal into his custody. lie is a privy counsel lor by his office, and prolocutor of the House of Lards by prescription. He also appoints all the justices of the peace throughout the kingdom. Persons exer cising this office in former times having been ecclesiastics, and superintendents of the royal chapel, the Lord Chancellor is still styled keeper of the kin:;'sconscienre, and for the same reason he is visitor, in right of Ihe king, of all hospitals and colleges of the king's foundation; and patron of all the king's livings under the value of 20/. per annum in the king's
books. lle is the general guardian of all infants, idiots, and lunatics; has a control over all public charities ; and a jurisdiction of vast extent, as the head of the law in his Court of Chancery ; where he decides without the assistance of a jury, but from which there is an ap p t al o the House of Lords.—Chancelhu .
of a. Diocese, a lay officer under a bishop, versed in the canon and civil law, who is judge of his court.— Chancellor of a Ca thedral, an officer who hears lessons in the church, inspects schools, hears causes, writes letters, and applies the seal of the chapter, keeps the books, &e.—Chancellor of a University, an officer who seals the diplomas, or letters of Am. The chancellors of Oxford and Cambridge are selected from among the prime nobility : the former holds his office for life; the latter is elected every three years.— Chancellor of the Exchequer, an officer who presides in that court, and takes care of the interests of the crown. He has power with the lord treasurer to lease the crown lands, and with others to compound for forfeiture of lands, on penal statutes : he has also great authority in managing the royal revenues, and in all matters relating to the finances of the state.