College of Justice. See COURT OF SESSION.
Collegiate Churches—so called from having a college or chapter, consisting of a dean or provost and canons, attached to them—date from the 9th century, when such foundations in large towns became frequent. They are under the jurisdiction of the bishop of the diocese in which they are situated, and he exercises visitorial powers over them. There were about ninety collegiate churches in England and Wales at the beginning of the 16th century, but nearly all of them were suppressed or dissolved in Edward VI.'s reign under the Acts of Henry VIII. which followed upon the dissolution of the monasteries, and granted the hospitals, chantries, and colleges to the crown. Those remaining in England are Westminster, Windsor, Wolverhampton, Haytesbury, Middleham; also Brecon in Wales, and Galway in Ireland. Ripon, Manchester, and Southwell have been constituted the cathedrals of new dioceses. Some churches called collegiate (such as Beverley) have no chapters. In the Roman Catholic Church, no new collegiate church can be founded without the sanction of the pope, acting on the favourable report of the Congregation of the Council of Trent, that the necessary conditions have all been fulfilled, such as suitable population and locality, adequate buildings, sufficient endowments, and the assent of the diocesan bishop; while a priority of rank in their class is conceded to some such churches, distinguished by the title 'eminent' (insignis). The History of Renfrewshire (1886) contains a very full and interesting account of the collegiate church of Castle-Semple, founded in 1504.