Theological Controversy. An assembly of Catholic and Protestant divines, held at Westminster in 1559, to discuss certain points of dogma and ritual. The questions set for discussion were: the use of prayer in a tongue not understood by the people, the right of individual congregations to alter their ritual to suit their needs, and the propitiatory sacrifice for the quick and the dead in the celebration of the Mass. No decision was arrived at on any point. Theows. In Saxon times the slaves of the feudal lords, reduced to the servile condition either as prisoners of war, or through debt. Thermidoriens. The party who voted the decree of accusation against Robespierre and his followers in July (Thermidor) 1794. During the Directoire they still showed themselves advanced Republicans, being in favour of maintaining the decrees against the clergy, the noblesse and the emigrés. Thing. Amongst the Norsemen, the assembly of freemen. The Things were of varying importance, and bore different names, according to the purpose for which they were convoked. Thus, the Althing was the general assembly of the nation, held annually; the Konungs-thing, a meeting specially summoned by the King; and so on down to the Husthing, a meeting of his own men summoned by any petty chief. Thingamen. Another name for the Housekarls of King Knut. Third Section. A section of the Russian secret police, specially established to watch all political movements. It was formed by Nicholas I in 1865. Thirteen Cantons, Confederation of. The Confederation formed by the admission, between 1481 and 1513, of the Cantons of Fribourg, Soleure, Basle, Schaffhausen and Appenzell, into the Perpetual League. Thirteen States. The thirteen American colonies forming the original thirteen States of the Union were Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts. New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Virginia. Thirty, Battle of the. A combat between the followers of Simon de Montfort and those of Charles of Blois, fought at Ploermel in Brittany in 1350. The combatants were limited to thirty on each side, and the English were defeated. Thirty Years War. A war between Ferdinand II and the Protestant Princes of Germany, which broke out on the accession of Ferdinand to the Austrian throne in 1619. The Protestant Princes had elected to the Imperial Throne Frederic V, the Elector Palatine, and took up arms in his support. Sweden under Gustavus Adolphus, and later France, were drawn into the conflict, and the war did not terminate till 1648, when Ferdinand III signed the Treaty of Westphalia. Thirty-nine Articles. The articles of faith of the Church of England, consisting of thirty-nine of the original forty-two articles issued in 1552. By an Act of Elizabeth passed in 1571, the acceptance of these was made incumbent on all the clergy of the Established Church. Thirty-six, Council of.