Blacks Law Dict. 1st ed

CLERK OP PARLIAMENTS

218

CLOSB

persons dealing there. Called "clericus mer cati." 4 Bl. Comm. 275. CLERK OF THE PARLIAMENTS. One of the chief officers of the house of lords. He is appointed by the crown, by letters patent. On entering office he makes a declaration to make true entries and records of the things done and passed in the parliaments, and to keep secret all such matters as shall be treated therein. May, Parl. Pr. 238. CLERK OF THE PEACE. In English aw. An officer whose duties are to officiate it sessions of the peace, to prepare indict ments, and to record the proceedings of the justices, and to perform a number of special duties in connection with the affairs of the county. CLERK OP THE PETTY BAG. PETTY BAG. See CLERK OF THE PRIVY SEAL. There are four of these officers, who attend the lord privy seal, or, in the absence of the lord privy seal, the principal secretary of state. Their duty is to write and make out all things that are sent by warrant from the signet to the privy seal, and which are to be passed to the great seal; and also to make out privy seals (as theyaie termed) upon any special occasion of his majesty's affairs, as for the loan of money and such like purposes. Cowell. CLERK OF THE SIGNET. An offi cer, in England, whose duty it is to attend on the king's principal secretary, who always has the custody of the privy signet, as well for the purpose of sealing his majesty's pri vate letters, as also grants which pass his majesty's hand by bill signed; there are four of these officers. Cowell. CLERKS OF INDICTMENTS. Offi cers attached to the central criminal court in England, and to each circuit. They prepare and settle indictments against offenders, and assist the clerk of arraigns. CLERKS OF RECORDS AND WRITS. Officers formerly attached to the English court of chancery, whose duties consisted prin cipally in sealing bills of complaint and writs of execution, filing affidavits, keeping a record of suits, and certifying office copies of plead ings and affidavits. They were three in num ber, and the business was distributed among them according to the letters of the alphabet. By the judicature acts, 1873, 1875, they were

transferred to the chancery division of the high court. Now, by the judicature (officers') act, 1879, they have been transferred to the central office of the supreme court, under the title of "Masters of the Supreme Court," and the office of clerk of records and writs has been abolished. Sweet. CLERKS OF SEATS, in the principal registry of the probate division of the English high court, discharge the duty of preparing and passing the grants of probate and letters of administration, under the supervision of the registrars. There are six seats, the busi ness of which is regulated by an alphabetical arrangement, and each seat has four clerks. They have to take bonds f10m administrators, and to receive caveats against a grant being made in a case where a will is contested. They also draw the "acts," i. e., a short sum mary of each grant made, containing the name of the deceased, amount of assets, and other particulars. Sweet. CLERKSHIP. The period which must be spent by a law-student in the office of a practising attorney before admission to the bar. 1 Tidd, Pr. 61, et seq. In old English practice. The art of drawing pleadings and entering them on rec ord in Latin, in the ancient court hand; oth erwise called "skill of pleading in actions at the common law." CLIENS. Lat. In the Roman law. A client or dependent. One who depended up on another as his patron or protector, adviser or defender, in suits at law and other diffi culties; and was bound, in return, to pay him all respect and honor, and to sprve him with his life and fortune in any extremity. Dionys. ii. 10; Adams, Rom. Ant. 33. CLIENT. A person who employs or re tains an attorney, or counsellor, to appear for him in courts, advise, assist, and defend him in legal proceedings, and to act for him in any legal business. CLIENTELA. la old English law. Clientship, the state of a client; and, correc tively, protection, patronage, guardianship. CLIFFORD'S INN. An inn of chan cery. See INNS OF CHANCERY. CLITO. In Saxon law. The son of a king or emperor. The next heir to the throne; the Saxon adeling. Spelman. CLOERE. A gaol; a prison or dungeon. CLOSE, adj. In practice. Close or sealed up. A term applied to writs and letters, as

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