ASSISTANT, is used for a Person or Officer appointed to attend a principal Officer, for the more regular Discharge of his Function.—Such a Bishop or Priest had seven or eight Assistants.

ASSISTANT, ASSISTANTS,are particularly used for a kind of Councillors, or Controllers, added to the Generals or Superiors of Monasteries, etc., to take care of the Affairs of the Community.—The General of the Jesuits has five Assistants, of consummate Experience, chosen by him out of all the Provinces of the Order, and denominated from the Kingdoms or Countries to which they belong, e.g., Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal. See GENERAL, JESUIT, etc.



In the like sense, most of our Trading Companies have their Courts of Assistants. See COMPANY, etc. Assistants are also those condemned to assist in the Execution of a Criminal. See ABSOLUTION.