Clergy \Cler"gy\, n. [OE. clergie, clergi, clerge, OF. clergie,
   F. clergie (fr. clerc clerc, fr. L. clericus priest) confused
   with OF. clergi['e], F. clerg['e], fr. LL. clericatus office
   of priest, monastic life, fr. L. clericus priest, LL.
   scholar, clerc. Both the Old French words meant clergy, in
   sense 1, the former having also sense 2. See {Clerk}.]
   
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   1. The body of men set apart, by due ordination, to the
      service of God, in the Christian church, in distinction
      from the laity; in England, usually restricted to the
      ministers of the Established Church. --Hooker.
      
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   2. Learning; also, a learned profession. [Obs.]
      
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            Sophictry . . . rhetoric, and other cleargy. --Guy
                                                  of Warwick.
      
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            Put their second sons to learn some clergy. --State
                                                  Papers (5).
      
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   3. The privilege or benefit of clergy.
      
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            If convicted of a clergyable felony, he is entitled
            equally to his clergy after as before conviction.
                                                  --Blackstone.
      
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   {Benefit of clergy} (Eng., Law), the exemption of the persons
      of clergymen from criminal process before a secular judge
      -- a privilege which was extended to all who could read,
      such persons being, in the eye of the law, clerici, or
      clerks. This privilege was abridged and modified by
      various statutes, and finally abolished in the reign of
      George IV. (1827).

   {Regular clergy}, {Secular clergy} See {Regular}, n., and
      {Secular}, a.
      
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