CLERK of the petty bag, an officer of the court of chancery, whereof there are three, the master of the rolls being the chief: their business is to record the return of all inquisitions out of every shire, to make out patents of customers, gaugers, comptrollers, &c. liberates upon extents of statutes-staple, conge d'elires for bishops, summons of the nobility, clergy, and burghesses to parliament, and commissions directed to knights and others, of every shire, for assessing subsidies and taxes.