maniple

noun

1. (Ancient-Rome)A division of the Roman army numbering 120 (or sometimes 60) soldiers exclusive of officers; (generally, obsolete) any small body of soldiers.

   “And preſently changing the Order of his March, made his Flank which was next the Enemy thrice as ſtrong as it was before; plac'd ſeveral Spearmen and Slingers between the Battalions or Maniples of foot; planted all the Cavalry in the Wings; And after a brief Excitation to his Soldiers, caus'd the Army in this Figure to file off to the Left, and towards the Plain.”

   “Crossing the ditch, he was followed first by the men of his own maniple, and then by the whole legion.”

   “Our Army, besides being of an insignificant strength compared with the physical force of the country, and so detached and scattered as to be mere maniples of men, has been so frequently into its original elements of citizenship, and has at all times so mingled with our social institutions, as to appear a homogeneous part of the grand community, and only a better regulated and more effective body of militia.”

   “He [Ignatius of Antioch] was taken to Rome in the custody of a maniple of ten soldiers.”

2. (historical)In Western Christianity, an ornamental band or scarf worn upon the left arm as a part of the vestments of a priest in the Roman Catholic Church, and sometimes the Church of England.

   “[T]hey, as men thinking baſelie of ſuch ſimple dealing, adde a great deale more to making of their prieſts: they muſt haue oyle, candels, baſens, tovvels, amices, albes, ſtoals, gyrdles, maniples, miters, bookes, croſſes, linnen, bandes, chalices, patens, ſinging cakes, vvine and vvater, flovver, and ſuch other thinges, trifled and toyed with all, […]”

   “[T]hen ſhall the Juſtice of the Biſhop (his Officer he means) cauſe a Proceſſion to be made with a Prieſt, habited in an Albe Maniple, and Stole, and Clerks in their Surplices, with Holy-water and a Croſs, the Candleſticks and Incense-pot, with Fire and Incenſe going before, and the Friends of the dead having taken his Body up, ſhall put it on a Biere, and carry it to the Church, where Maſs being ſaid for him, and other Rites performed, they ſhall Inter him as becomes a Chriſtian.”

   “The Maniple*: We take from you the Maniple, the Ornament of the Sub-diaconal Office, and we ſtrip and deprive you of the Miniſtry deſigned thereby. [Footnote *: Manipulus. An Eccleſiaſticall Veſtment, called alſo the Sudarium, which the Prieſts wear on the left Arm.]”

   “On inspecting the Body [of Leofric, Abbot IV], they found it quite decayed; but the clothing, particularly the Cassock and Archiepiscopal Pall affixed to it with gilded pins, and the Stole and Maniple, so entire; that it was a matter of wonder to them, how they could have laid so long in that state, and yet continue so perfect as they found them.”

   “The effigy of this bishop [James Goldwell, Bishop of Norwich] is distinguished by the richness of his vestments, these are the cope, with a rich border of lace, closed on the breast, with a large square morse or fibula; beneath the cope is the dalmatic, alb, stole, &c. as usual, and hanging from the left arm is the maniple.”

3. (informal, obsolete)A hand; a fist.

   “His poem, however, is meetly enough entituled—Christ Crucified! But the Rev. William Ellis Wall is worse than [Pontius] Pilate. That "wretch," as this miserable calls the Roman governor, was careful to wash his hands of all guilt in the transaction; but the Rev. William Ellis Wall holds forth triumphantly his two unhallowed and incarnadine maniples of reeking digits, boasting of the infamous achievement in a most egregious preface.”

4. (obsolete)A handful.

   “[K]novving you a ſerious Student in the higheſt arcana’s of Nature; and vvith much excuſe vve bring theſe lovv delights, and poor maniples to your Treaſure.”

   “M., in Medicinal Preſcription, is frequently uſed to ſignify a maniple, or handful: […]”