Clergy
Black's Law Dictionary · Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910
Black's Law Dictionary
The whole body of clergymen or ministers of religion. Also an abbreviation for "benefit of clergy." See Benefit.
— Regular clergy. In old English law. Monks who lived secundum regulas (according to the rules) of their respective houses or societies were so denominated, in contradistinction to the parochial clergy, who performed their ministry in the world, tn seculo, and who from thence were called "secular" clergy. 1 Chit. Bl. 387, note.