Yorke and Cardinal made Chancellor 31 Jan. Claus 28 H. 6. in dorso m. 7. Anno 1454. 32 H. 6. Richard Earl of Salisbury made Chancellor 2 Apr. Claus 32 H. 6. in dorso m. 8. Anno 1455. 33 H. 6. Thomas Bourchier Archbishop of Canterbury made Chancellor 7 Martii Claus 33 H. 6. in dorso m. 9. Anno 1557. Will. Wickham Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor 11 Oct. Claus 35 H. 6. m. 10. in dorso Anno 1460. 38 H. 6. George Nevill Bishop of Exeter made Chancellor 25 Julii Claus 38 H. 6. in dorso m. 7. Anno 1468. 7 E. 4. Robert Stillington Bishop of Bathe and Wells made Chancellor 8 Junii Claus 7 E. 4. m. 12. in dorso Anno 1473. 12 E. 4. John Alcock Bishop of Rochester made Keeper of the Great Seal 20 Sept. Claus 12 E. 4. m. 16. in dorso Anno 1474. 13 E. 4. Laurence Bishop of Durham made Chancellor c. 5 Junii Claus 13 E. 4. m. 3. Anno 1475. 14 E. 4. Thomas Rotheram Bishop of Lincoln made Chancellor Godw. de Praesul Anno 1484. 1 R. 3. John Russell Bishop of Lincoln made Chancellor 26 Nov. Claus 1 R. 3. in dorso Anno 1485. 3 R. 3. Thomas Barow Master of the Rolls made Keeper of the Great Seal 1 Aug. Claus 3 R. 3. Anno 1486. 1 H. 7. John Alcock Bishop of Ely made Chancellor upon Munday 6 Martii Cl. 1 H. 7. in dorso Anno 1487. 2 H. 7. John Morton Archbishop of Canterbury made Chancellor 8 Aug. Pat. 2 H. 7. p. 2. Anno 1501. 16 H. 7. Henry Deane Bishop of Salisbury upon the death of John Morton had the Great Seal delivered to him 13 Octob. Claus 26 H. 7. in dorso Anno 1502. 17 H. 7. Will. Warham Bishop of London elect of Canterb. had the Great Seal delivered to him 11 Aug. and was made Chancellor 1 Jan. following Claus 17 H. 7. in dorso Anno 1516. 7 H. 8. Thomas Wolsey Lord Cardinal and Archbishop of Yorke had the Great Seal delivered to him 7 Decembr and was made Chancellor Claus 7 H. 8. in dorso Anno 1530. 21 H. 8. Sir Thomas More Knight made Lord Changellor had the Great Seal delivered to him on Munday 25 Octob. Claus 21 H. 8. in dorso Anno 1533. 24 H. 8. Thomas Audley had the Great Seal delivered unto him on Munday 20 Maii and then Knighted Claus 24 H. 8. in dorso  A New Seal made and delivered to him upon the 6th of Sept. following Ibid.  He was made Chancellor the 26th of Jan. ensuing Ibid. Anno 1545. 36 H. 8. Thomas Lord Wriothesley Lord Chancellor of England had the Great Seal delivered to him 3 Maii Claus 36 H. 8. p. 1. Anno 1547. 1 E. 6. Sir Will. Paulet Knight Lord St. John of Basing had the Great Seal delivered to him 29 Junii Pat. 1 E. 6. p. 4.  Sir Richard Riche Knight made Chancellor of England 30 Nov. Pat. 1 E. 6. p 3. m. 14. Anno 1551. 5 E. 6. Thomas Goodricke Bishop of Ely made Chancellor of England 19 Jan. Cl. 5 E. 6. p. 5. Anno 1553. 1 Mar. Steph. Gardner Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor of England 21 Sept. Pat. 1 M. p. 8. Anno 1555. 3 M. Nicholas Heath Archbishop of Yorke made Chancellor of England on Wednesday 1 Jan. Claus 2 3 Ph. Mar. in dorso part 11. Anno 1559. 1 Eliz. Sir Nicholas Bacon Knight Attorney of the Court of Wards made Keeper of the Great Seal 22 Decemb. Annal. Camd. Pat. 1 Eliz. p. 3. Anno 1579. 21 Eliz. Thomas Bromley the Queens Sollicitor General made Chancellor of England 25 Apr. Claus 21 Eliz. p. 4. in dorso Anno 1587. 29 Eliz. Sir Christopher Hatton Knight made Lord Chancellor of England 29 Apr. Claus 29 Eliz. p. 24. in dorso Anno 1592. 34 Eliz. Sir John Puckering Knight Serjeant at Law had the Great Seal delivered to him 28 Maii Claus 34 Eliz. p. 14. in dorso Anno 1596. 38 Eliz. Sir Thomas Egerton Knight Master of the Rolls in Chancery had the Great Seal delivered to him 26 Maii Claus 38 Eliz. p. 14. in dorso Anno 1603. 1 Jac. Sir Thomas Egerton Knight had the same Great Seal delivered to him by appointment of King James 5 Apr. Claus 1 Jac. p. 12. in dorso  Upon the 29th of June following that Great Seal was broke and the New Seal of King James delivered to him Ibid.  And on the 24th of July being advanced to the dignity of Lord Ellesmere he was made Lord Chancellor of England Ibid. Anno 1616. 14 Jac. Sir Francis Bacon Knight the King's Attorney General had the Great Seal committed to his Custody 7 Martii Claus 16 Jac. in dorso part 15. Anno 1617. 15 Jac. The same Sir Francis then Lord Verulam made Lord Chancellor of England 4 Jan. Claus 16 Jac. in dorso p. 15. Anno 1620. 18 Jac. Henry Vicount Mandevill Lord President of the Councell Lodowike Duke of Richmund William Earl of Pembroke and Sir Julius Caesar Knight Master of the Rolls had the Great Seal committed to their Custody in Lent Anno 1621. 19 Jac. John Williams Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Westminster afterwards Bishop of Lincoln had the Great Seal committed to his Custody 10 Julii Claus 19 Jac. p. 13. in dorso Anno 1625. 1 Car. 1. Sir Thomas Coventre Knight Attorney General to the King made Keeper of the Great Seal 1 Nov. Anno 1639. 15 Car 1. Sir John Finche Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody 23 Jan. Anno 1640. 16 Car. 1. Sir Edward Littleton Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody 23 Jan. Anno 1645. 21 Car. 1. Sir Richard Lane Knight Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer had the Great Seal of England commmitted to his Custody 30 Aug. Anno 1657. 9 Car. 2. Sir Edward Hide Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer to King Charles the First had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody 13 Jan.  And was made Lord Chancellor of England at Bruges in Flanders 29 Jan. following Anno 1667. 19 Car. 2. Sir Orlando Bridgeman Knight and Baronet Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody 30 Aug. FINIS Temp. Edw. senioris sequentium Regum Ingulphus Temp. Ethelredi Temp. Ethelberti Edgar In the Register of Croyland it appears that the Normans brought in the use of Seals to Charters Will. 1. Cart. 14 Joh. dorso Walt. de Gray Cancellar alii missi ad Othonem Imp. nepotem Regis Johannis In dorso fin 7 Joh. Pat. 14 Joh. m. 5. Carta Regis W. de Carrio de domo sua de Carrio c. Teste Will. de Briwer apud Westm 21. Maii. Carta Regis Joh. facta Mauricio de Gant de Manerio de Barewe Teste or Dat. per manum Radulphi de Nevill apud Buttevill 28 Julii an 16. Pat. p. 2. m. 8. Et ibid. m. 4. Ric. de Mariscis Cancellarius Pat. 17 Joh. m. 2. R. de Mariscis Cancellar 28 Apr. Et ib. in dors idem Cancellarius missus Romans Cart. 18 Joh. Rex dedit Baldwino de Guisne Manerium de Benefeld c. Dat. per manum Magistri Ric. de Mariscis Cancellarii nostri apud Nare as 30 Maii. Pat. 15 Joh. p. 1. m. 8. Et fin m. 5. Walt de Gray Cancellar Ib. m. 5. Idem factus fuit Episc Wigor Pat. 18 Joh. m. 5. Ric. de Marisco Cancellar 14 Julii Cart. 17 Joh. m. 3. Ric. de Mariscis Cancellarius Cart. 11 H. 3 p. 1. m. 28. An. 13 H. 3. The King granted to R. Bishop of Chichester the Chancellorship for life 16 Nov. And likewise to the fame R. the same office An. 16 H. 3. 14 Julis And by another Charter of the same date the Custody of the Seal for life also to exercise that Keepership in person or by an affignee Vide etiam Cart. 17 H. 3. pro codem Episcopo de eisdem Officiis pro termino vitae suae
4 Undulation of the air differing from that of the water 30 W. WAter and air are very homogeneal 23 Water in Baths heats accidentally 62. taken out it cools 58 Water-fouls when they presage wind 41. and when land-fouls 41 Water sometimes break out in dry places 17 Weather glasses 61. how they are made Wels in Dalmatia and Cyrena with winds inclosed in them 18. 47 West wind a continual companion of the spring 12. in Europ it is a moist wind 7. attendant on Pomeridian hours 11 West North-west wind set down by the ancients for a cause of Nilus his over-flowing 9 Whirlwinds play sometimes before men as they ride 21 White tempests 40 Winds blow every where 7 Windy winters presage wet springs 40 Wind is nothing but air moved 44. how it comes out of a cloud 19 Winds made by mixture of vapours 44 Winds sometimes dry up rivers 16 Winds of all kinds purg the air 16. how they are engendred in the lower air 20. they are engendred a thousand ways 16. they are marchants of vapours 17. they gain their natures five ways 15. winds composed of Niter 43. brought forth of the resolutions of snow 24. hurt corn at three seasons 14. they are allayed five ways 25. 44. they blow from their nurseries 4. in their beginning they blow softly 17. then gain strength ibid. those which are composed of Sea vapours easiliest turn to rain 24. Y. Yards of Ships 31 FINIS A BRIEF DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE OFFICE OF Lord Chancellor OF ENGLAND WRITTEN BY The Learned John Selden of the Inner Temple Esq and Dedicated by him to Sir Francis Bacon Knight then Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of ENGLAND Transcribed from a true Copy thereof found amongst the Collections of that Judicious Antiquary St. Lo Kniveton late of Grayes Inne Esq TOGETHER WITH A True Catalogue of Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England from the Norman Conquest untill this present Year 1671. BY WILLIAM DVGDALE Esquire NORROY King of Arms. LONDON Printed for William Lee at the Turks Head in Fleetstreet over against Fetter-lane end 1671. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Sir FRANCIS BACON Knight Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England MY LORD THE Times obvious discourse whereby that All which truly loves Nobless or Learning congratulates your highly deserved Honor caused me collect these taken out of no obvious Monuments touching the auncientest mention conjunction and division of those two Great Offices of State which your Lordship really bears though stiled but by the name of one they are short yet give large testimony of the former times They conclude with an Act made about 320. years since of like tenor in substance with that later under Queen Eliz. which was as proper to your name whence these also were the fitter to offer you Enough other particulars touching both these Great Offices might have been added but these were chosen for the usual Question of the present and thus are given not yet seen by any other eye as a taste of my humble Observance My Lord they are only yours as their Author would be J. Selden A BRIEF DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE OFFICE OF Lord Chancellor of England c. The Name and Office of Lord Chancellor of England under the Saxons THE eldest mention in good authority of the name of Chancellor of this Kingdom is in Edward the elders time about the year DCCCCXX he made Turketill Abbot of Croyland his Chancellor Cancellarium suum eum constituit ut quaecunque negotia temporalia vel spiritualia Regis Judicium expectabant illius consilio decreto nam tantae fidei et tam profundi ingenij tenebatur omnia tractarentur tractata irrefragabilem sententiam sortirentur This Abbot held the Office under Athelstan Edmund and Edred succeeding Kings King Ethelred afterwards divided the Chancellorship between the Abbots of Ely and St. Augustine in Canterbury and of Glastenbury who were to exercise it by turn The words of an Old Monk of Ely are Statuit atque concessit quatenus Ecclesia de Ely extunc semper in Regis Curiâ Cancellarii ageret dignitatem quod aliis Sancti viz. Augustini Glasconiae Ecclesiis constituit ut Abbates istorum Coenobiorum vicissim assignatis succedendo temporibus annum trifariè dividerint cum Sanctuarii caeteris ornatibus Altaris ministrando So as the Abbot of Ely or some Monk by him appointed exercised the Office from Candlemas four moneths yearly and the other two of Glastenbury and S. Augustines made up the twelve But there occurres not any subscription in Charters by that name till the Confessor in his Patent to the Church of Westminister after the King Bishops Abbots and others comes Ego Rembaldus Cancellarius subscripsi Yet in the ancientest Monument of a Grant by any King extant here I doubt not but the Chancellor subscribed though under another name The first Christian King of the Saxons founded and endowed Canterbury Church and in his Charter amongst the Earls occurrs Ego Augemandus Referendarius subscripsi where Referendarius may well stand for Cancellarius the Office of both as the words applyed to the Court are used in the Code Novells and Story of the declining Empire signifying an Officer that received Petitions and Supplications to the King and made out his Writs and Mandates as a Custos Legis And though there were divers Referendarii as 14. then 8. then more again and so divers Chancellors in the Empire Yet one especially here exercising an Office of the nature of these many might well be stiled by either of the names These are testimonies of that time without exception though Polydore begin the Name and Office at the Norman Conquest II. Whether the Keeping of a Seal were in the Chancellorship under the Saxons FOR that Principal part of the Office or that other Office joyned with the Chancellorship the Keeping of the Seal If the common Opinion were cleer that under the Saxon State no Seals were here used then were it vain to think of it as of that time But there is yet remaining an Old Saxon Charter of King Edgar beginning A Orthodoxorum vigoris Ecclesiastici monitu creberrime instruimur c. to the Abbey of Persore wherein divers Lands are given and there remains in the Parchment plain signes of three Labells by the places cut for their being hanged on and of the self-same Charter a testimony also as ancient that the Seals were one of King Edgar the second of St. Dunstan and the third of Alfer Ducis Merciorum That testimony is in a Letter from Godfrie Archdeacon of Worcester to Pope Alexander III. writing of that Charter and the Authority of it Noverit saith he Sanctitas vestra verum esse quod conscripti hujus scriptum originale in virtute Sanctae Trinitatis sigilla tria trium personarum autenticarum ad veritatem triplici confirmatione commendat Est autem Sigillum primum illustris Regis Edgari secundum Sancti
a Patent of the Keeping of the Seal for life either by himself or Deputy and another of the Chancellorship of England toto tempore vitae suae were made to him both bearing the same Date Yet after this also through divers oppositions in State against the goodness and Noble Carriage of this Ralf de Nevill the Seal was after unjustly taken from him and restored again as his former right And in 20 H. 3. the King would have had it from him Sed idem Cancellarius saith the Monk hoc facere rènuit videns impetum Regis modestiae fines excedentem dixitque se nullà ratione hoc facere posse cum illud communi consilio Regni suscepisset Quapropter nec illud similiter sine communi assensu Regni alicui resignaret Yet in 22 H. 3. the King violently took it from him and committed it to one Godfrey a Templar and John of Lexinton Emolumentis tamen so sayes the Story ad Cancellarium spectantibus Episcopo quasi Cancellario redditis assignatis Afterward one Simon Norman a Lawyer had it and from him it was taken and committed to Richard Abbot of Evesham who kept it three years and then resigned it in 26 H. 3. The Chancellor and Keeper of right Nevill was afterward reconciled to the King and dyed 28 H. 3. In the Acts of Parliament of which year one is That the Keeper of the Seal should be alwayes the Chancellor and that all things sealed otherwise should be voyd The words are Si aliqua interveniente occasione Dominus Rex abstulerit Sigillum suum à Cancellario quicquid fuerit interim sigillatum irritum habeatur inane Deinde Cancellario fiat restitutio And it appears otherwise that they alwayes took it unjustly done if the Chancellorship and Keepership were not in one By Reason whereof before that in a Charter of King John's yet extant in some hands of the Moderation of the Fees of the Seal no person is spoken of but the Chancellor and his under Officers as if it could not have been but that who ever had the Seal the same should only bee Chancellor According to that the Chancellorship and Keepership were joyned in all the Chancellors under Henry the 3. and Edward the 1. most of which being made Bishops resigned their Seal and Office although afterward under the succeeding Kings sometimes the Seal was committed to others hands upon some requiring occasions and some Lord Keepers were created in later times before Sir Nicholas Bacon in whose time that Statute of 5 Eliz. was made A true CATALOGUE of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of England from the Norman Conquest untill this present Year 1671. An. D. 1067. 1 Will. Conq. MAurice afterwards Bishop of London Will. Malmsb. de Gestis Pontif. lib. 2. f. 134. b.  Osmund afterwards Bishop of Salisbury Godw. de Praesul p. 389. Anno 1073. 6 W. Conq. Arfastus Bishop of Helmham Pat. 8 E. 2. p. 1. m. 3. per Inspex  Baldric Pat. 8 E. 2. p. 2. m. 1. per Inspex  Herman Bishop of Shireburne  Will. Wilson Chaplain to the King Chron. Rob. de Monte.  Will. Giffard Bishop of Winchester Cart. 51 H. 3. m. 1. per Inspex Will. Rufus Robert Bloet afterwards Bishop of Lincoln R. Hoved. f. 265 b. n. 30. Henr. 1. Will. Giffard Bishop of Winchester Text. Roff. cap. 6.  Roger afterwards Bishop of Salisbury W. Malm. f. 91. a. l. 2.  Geffrey Ruffus afterwards Bishop of Durham H. Hunt f. 220 b. 10.  Randulph H. Hunt f. 218 b. n. 40.  Geffrey Bishop of Durham Regist Eccl. Elien in Bibl. Cotton f. 29 a. Steph. Alexander Bishop of Lincoln Will. Neubrigensis lib. 1. cap. 6.  Roger Pauper Ord. Vit. p. 319 C. D. Anno 1153. 18 Steph. Philip Regist Eccl. Elien in Bibl. Cotton f. 32 a. Anno 1157. 3 H. 2. Thomas Archdeacon of Canterbury R. Hoved. 281 b. n. 20. afterwards Archbishop Ro. Hoved. 282 a. n. 20. Anno 1173. 20 H. 2. Raphe de Warnevill Sacrist of Roan and Treasurer of Yorke Matth. Paris in anno 1173. Anno 1181. 26 H. 2. Geffrey natural Son to King Henry the 2d R. Hoved. f. 349. n. 10. Chancellor  Walter de Bidun Lel. col Vol. 1. p. 38. Anno 1189. 1 R. 1. Will. de Longcamp afterwards Bishop of Ely R. Hoved. f. 375 a. n. 40. Anno 1198. 7 R. 1. Eustace Bishop of Ely R. Hoved. f. 449 a. n. 40. Anno 1199. 1 Johan Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury R. Hoved. f. 451 a. n. 40. Chancellor Anno 1204. 6 Joh. Hugh Archdeacon of Wells afterwards Bishop of Lincoln M. Paris in anno 1205. Chancellor Anno 1205. 7 Joh. Walter de Gray Cart. antiq BB. n. 22. afterwards Bishop of Worcester Chancellor Anno 1212. 14 Joh. Richard de Marisco Mat. Westm in eodem anno Chancellor Anno 1213. 15 Joh. Raphe de Nevill Keeper of the Seal under Peter de Roche Bishop of Winchester Pat. 15 Joh. p. 1. m. 6. Anno 1223. 8 H. 3. Richard de Marisco Bishop of Durham Cl. 8 H. 3. m. 25. Chancellor Anno 1226. Raphe Nevill Bishop of Chichester 12 Febr. Cart. 12 H. 3. m. 28. Chancellor Anno 1230. The same Raphe constituted Keeper of the Seal 14 Junii Cart. 15 H. 3. m. 8. Anno 1238. 22 H. 3. Geffrey a Templar and John de Lexinton made Keepers of the Seal M. Paris in eodem anno Anno 1239. 23 H. 3. Simon Norman from whom the Seal was taken and delivered to Richard Abbot of Evesham M. Paris in eodem anno Anno 1246 30 H. 3. Ranulph Briton Mat. Paris in eodem anno Chancellor Anno 1247. 31 H. 3. Mr. Silvester a Clerk of the Kings executed the Office of the Chancellor M. Paris in eodem anno  John de Lexinton had the Custody of the Seal 18 Sept. Rot. Fin. 31 H. 3. m. 2.  John Mansell Chancellor of the Cathedral of St. Paul in London had the Custody of the Seal to execute the Office of Chancellor M. Paris in eodem an Pat. 31 H. 3. m. 2. Anno 1249. 33 H. 3. The same John Mansell Provost of Beverley had the Custody of the Seal untill the Feast of St. Mary this year Pat. 12 H. 3. m. 3. Anno 1250. 34 H. 3. Peter de Rievaulx and Mr. Will. de Kilkenny had the Custody of the Seal Claus 34 H. 3. m. 15. Anno 1253. 37 H. 3. P. Chaceport and John de Lexinton had the Custody of the Seal by reason that Mr. W. de Kilkenny was sick 15 Maii Rot. Fin. 37 H. 3. m. 9.  XXII Junii the Queen had the Custody thereof the King then going into Gascoign Pat. 37 H. 3. m. Anno 1254. 38 H. 3. Mr. Will. de Kilkenny the Kings Clerk supplied the Office of Chancellor M. Paris in eodem anno Anno 1255. 39 H. 3. H. de Wengham Clerk had the Custody of the Seal M. Paris in eodem anno
Mich. de Wath and Thomas de Baunburgh 8 Dec. Claus 13 E. 3. p. 3. in dorso m. 11. Anno 1341. 14 E. 3. John de St. Paul solely constituted Keeper of the Great Seal 13 Febr. Claus 14 E. 3. p. 1. m. 42. in dorso  John Archbishop of Cant. made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 28 Apr. Claus 14 E. 3. p. 1. m. 27. in dorso  Robert Bishop of Chichester the Kings Chancellor delivered up the Great Seal to the King upon Thursday being the Feast day of St. Andrew the Apostle Claus 14 E. 3. p. 2. m. 12. Anno 1341. 14 E. 3. Sir Robert Burgchier Knight being made Chancellor on Thursday next following St. Lucie the Virgin had the Great Seal then delivered to him by the King Claus 14 E. 3. p. 2. in dorso m. 20. Anno 1342. 15 E. 3. Robert Parnyng the Kings Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him by the King 27 Oct. Cl. 15 E. 3. p. 3. in dorso m. 13. Anno 1344. 17 E. 3. Robert de Sadington made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him upon Michaelmasse day Claus 17 E. 3. p. 2. m. 20. in dorso Anno 1346. 19 E. 3. Mr. John de Offord made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him upon the 26 of Octob. Pat. 19 E. 3. p. 2. m. 7. Anno 1347. 20 E. 3. John de Thoresby had the Great Seal delivered to him 2 Julii John de Offord the Kings Chancellor then going beyond Sea Claus 20 E. 3. p. 2. in dorso m. 26. Anno 1350. 23 E. 3. John Bishop of St. Davids made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him 16 Junii Claus 23 E. 3. p. 1. in dorso m. 8. Anno 1357. 30 E. 3. Will. de Edington Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him 19 Febr. Claus 30 E. 3. in dorso m. 4. Anno 1363. 36 E. 3. Simon de Langham Bishop of Ely had the Great Seal deliver'd to him by the King 19 Febr. Cl. 30 E. 3. in dorso m. 39. Anno 1368. 41 E. 3. Will. de Wickham Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor 17 Sept. Cart. 41 E. 3. Anno 1372. 45 E. 3. Sir Robert de Thorpe Knight made Chancellor 26 Martii had the Great Seal then delivered to him by the King Claus 45 E. 3. in dorso m. 35. Anno 1373. 46 E. 3. John Knyvet made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal Claus 46 E. 3. in dorso m. 12. Anno 1377. 50 E. 3. Adam de Houghton Bishop of St. Davids made Chancellor 11 Jan. On which day the Great Seal was delivered to him Claus 50 E. 3. in dorso p. 2. m. 7. Anno 1379. 2 R. 2. Sir Richard le Scrope Knight made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him Pat. 2 R. 2. p. 1. m. 24. Anno 1380. 3 R. 2. Simon de Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal on Munday next after the Conversion of St. Paul Claus 3 R. 2. in dorso m. 22. Anno 1381. 4 R. 2. Will. de Courtney Bishop of London made Chancellor on Saturday being the Feast of St. Laurence Claus 5 R. 2. in dorso m. 35. Anno 1382. 5 R. 2. Sir Richard Scrope Knight made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal on Wednesday next after the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle Pat. 5 R. 2. p. 1. m. 1. Anno 1383. 6 R. 2. Robert de Braybroke Bishop of London made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him on Saturday being the Eve of St. Matthew the Apostle Claus 6 R. 2. p. 1. in dorso m. 24.  Sir Michael de la Pole Knight made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 13 Martii Claus 6 R. 2. p. 2. in dorso m. 12. Anno 1387. 10 R. 2. Thomas de Arundell Bishop of Ely made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 24 Oct. Claus 20 R. 2. m. 35. Anno 1389. 12 R. 2. Will. de Wickham Bishop of Winchester again made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered unto him 4 Maii Pat. 12 R. 2. p. 2. m. 7. Anno 1392. 15 R. 2. Thomas de Arundell Archbishop of Canterb. made Chancellor 7 Sept. had the Great Seal delivered to him Pat. 15 R. 2. p. 1. m. 19. Anno 1397. 20 R. 2. Edmund de Stafford Bishop of Exeter made Keeper of the Great Seal 23 Nov. Claus 20 R. 2. p. 1. in dorso m. 22. Anno 1400. 1 H. 4. John de Scarle Master of the Rolls in Chancery made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 15 Nov. Pat. 1 H. 4. p. 3. m. 27. Anno 1401. 2 H. 4. Edmund Bishop of Exeter made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 9 Martii Claus 2 H. 4. p. 2. in dorso m. 3. Anno 1404. 5 H. 4. Henry Beaufort Bishop of Lincoln Chancellor Pat. 5 H. 4. p. 2. m. 28. Anno 1405. 6 H. 4. Thomas Langley Bishop of Durham Chancellor Godw. de Praesul Anno 1407. 8 H. 4. Thomas Archbishop of Canterb. made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal 30 Jan. Claus 8 H. 4. in dorso m. 23. Anno 1410. 11 H. 4. John Wakering Clerk Master of the Rolls in Chancery had the Custody of the Great Seal 19 Jan. Claus 11 H. 4. in dorso m. 8  Sir Thomas Beaufort Knight made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him 31 Jan. Claus 11 H. 4. in dorso m. 8. Anno 1414. 1 H. 5. Henry de Beaufort Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal Claus 1 H. 5. Anno 1417. 4 H. 5. Simon Garnstede Clerk Master of the Rolls in Chancery had the Custody of the Great Seal from 4. Sept. untill the 12th of Oct. Claus 4 H. 5. in dorso m. 13.  Henry Bishop of Winchester had the Great Seal delivered to him 12 Octob. Claus 4 H. 5. in dorso m. 13. Anno 1418. 5 H. 5. Thomas de Langley Bishop of Durham had the Great Seal delivered to him by the King 23 Junii Claus 5 H. 5. in dorso m. 15. Anno 1423. 1 H. 6. Thomas Bishop of Durham made Chancellor by the advice and consent of all the Councell in Parliament Pat. 1 H. 6. p. 4. m. 19. Anno 1424. 2 H. 6. Henry Beaufort Bishop of Winchester made Chancellor had the Great Seal delivered to him 16 Julii Clauss 2 H. 6. in dorso m. 2. Anno 1426. 4 H. 6. John Kempe Bishop of London made Chancellor c. ... Martii Claus 4 H. 6. in dorso m. 8. Anno 1432. 10 H. 6. John Stafford Bishop of Bathe made Chancellor c. 28 Febr. Claus 10 H 6. in dorso m. 8. Anno 1433. 11 H. 6. John Hank Clerk Master of the Rolls in Chancery received from John Stopyngton Clerk on the behalf of the Lord Chancellor of England the Great Seal to use and exercise 22 Apr. Claus 11 H. 6. in dorso m. 12. Anno 1450. 28 H. 6. John Archbishop of
Dunstani Cantuariensis Archiepiscopi tertium Alferi Ducis Merciorum sicut ex diligenti literarum impressarum inspectione evidenter accepi And it 's reported by those which have searched the Records of St. Denys Church in France there remain two Charters the one of one Offa the other of one Edgar with Seals annext the one of which I have seen cast off in Lead and is about the breadth of a Shilling thick and having a face on the one side Likewise amongst the Chartae Antiquae divers being reckoned cum Sigillo others sine Sigillo one is cum Sigillo of King Cnout neither is there any colour of doubt but that the Confessor had his Seal for the Print yet remains in part to be seen But notwithstanding these singular examples of Kings Sealing in the Saxons times it 's most certain it was not a thing common then neither could any in the Chancellorship be denominated from Keeping the Seal nor in any other Office Curiosity in some particular occasion swayed more in it than any Custom Although we admit those before mentioned for true which may well be doubted in regard of the frequent fraud and ignorance in committing it which in the elder times possess'd the Church-men But for the Confessor's Seal that was without scruple certain and thence may we confidently derive the Great Seal of England III. Testimonies of the Chancellorship and Keepership joyned in times neer after the Norman Invasion AS in the Monuments of the Confessor Rembald is named Chancellor so under the first William Maurice Bishop of London and in the succeeding times others Old Stories of the Monks sufficiently mention them But little appears of the Office till the time of H. 2. under whom one writing the life of Thomas Beckett that was Lord Chancellor hath this most ancient testimony of it and of Keeping the Seal also Cancellarii dignitas est ut secundus à Rege in regno habeatur ut altera parte Sigilli regii quod ad ejus pertinet custodiam propria signet mandata ut Capella Regia in illius sit dispositione et cura ut vacantes Archiepiscopatus Episcopatus Abbatias Baronias cadentes in manum Regis ipse suscipiat conservet ut omnibus Regis assit consiliis etiam non vocatus accedat ut omnia Sigilliferi Clerici regii sua manu signentur Item ut suffragantibus ex Dei gratia vitae meritis non moriatur nisi Archiepiscopus vel Episcopus si voluerit Inde est quod Cancellaria non emenda est And another of the same time Cancellarius sicut in Curia sic ad Scaccarium magnus est adeò ut sine ipsius consensu vel consilio nihil magnum fiat vel fieri debeat verum hoc habet officium dum residet ad Scaccarium Ad ipsum pertinet custodia Sigilli regii quod est in Thesauro Sed indè nòn recedit nisi cum Praecepto Justiciarii that is Chief Justice of England that was a Viceroy ab inferiore ad superius Scaccarium à Thesaurario vel Camerario defertur ad explenda solum negotia Scaccarii quibus peractis in loculum mittitur loculus à Cancellario consignatur sic Thesaurario traditur custodiendus Item cùm necesse fuerit signatus sub omnium oculis Cancellario offertur nunquam ab ipso vel ab alio alias offerendus Item ad ipsum pertinet rotuli qui est de Cancellaria custodia per suppositam personam Another about the time of Edw. 1. Officium Cancellariae viro provido discreto ut Episcopo vel Clerico magnae dignitatis debet committi simul cum curâ majoris Sigilli regni cujus substituti sunt Cancellarii omnes in Anglia Hibernia Wallia Scotia Omnesque sigilli regii custodes praeter Custodem Sigilli privati IV. Of the Division and Conjunction of Lord Chancellor and Lord Keeper till an Old Act made that they should be One. BUT for that of Cancellaria emenda nòn est an example not long after was not only in truth to the contrary but entred also in Publique Records For Walter de Gray of the Family of the Greyes of Rotherfeld in Oxfordshire in 7th of King John Dat. Domino Regi quinque millia Marcarum pro habendà Cancellariâ Domini Regis totâ vitâ suâ pro habendâ inde Charta Domini Regis So are the words of the Roll and the dayes of Payment are set down also and in the Rolls of the same year occurrs Hic recepit W. Gray Cancellaria Yet had he not alwayes the Custody of the Seal for in the Charter Roll of that Year after the taking his Chancellorship there is but one Patent or Charter dated by him as the fashion then was with Dat. per manum W. de G. Cancellarii nostri or the like Those that both follow and precede are Dat. per manum Hugonis de Welles Archidiaconi Wellensis who it seems kept the Seal and therefore he is expresly called the King's Chancellor in some Monks that writ of that time as others are for the same cause Neither was it ever heard of them to have the Chancellorship granted yet the Seal still to Remain in another hand For also while this W. de Gray was Chancellor Richard de Marisco whom Matthew Paris calls Chancellor too and others misreckon him for one had the keeping of the Seal the Roll is nono die Octobris anno regni Domini Regis 15. Liberavit Magister Richardus de Marisco Archidiaconus Richmond Northumbr Domino Regi Sigillum apud Ospring and then on the 22. of Decemb. following apud Windlesores liberatum fuit Sigillum Domino R. de Nevill deferendum sub Domino P. Wintoniensi Episcopo that was Peter de Roches or de Rupibus Chief Justice of England But this here out of the infallible testimony of Records touching W. de Gray differs not a little in time from the relation of the Monk notwithstanding the Seal thus committed to Ralf de Nevill who had it also under H. 3. in the beginning of his Raign totius Regni ordinante consensu consilio yet the Patent and other Charters and close Letters of the time are for the most part Per Rectorem Regni or Teste P. Wintoniensi Episcopo or T. H. de Burgo Chief Justice of England under H. 3. Per eundem or Per P. Wintoniensem Episcopum or the like And yet also in Rolls of that time where Nevill never at all makes the Teste or hath his name added mention is of him for other uses as belonging to the Office of Chancellorship as the delivery of the Counterbriefs to him and Fines c. mittend ' in Scaccarium according to the use of that age But although both Records and Story thus make R. de Nevill Lord Keeper from King John unto H. 3. yet had not he any Patent of either Chancellorship or Keepership till 1 H. 3. where both