CONSERVATOR, an officer ordained for the se-
curity and preservation of the privileges of some cities
and communities, having a commission to judge of and
determine the differences among them.
In most catholic universities there are two conserva-
tors; the conservator of royal privileges, or those
granted by kings; and the conservator of apostolical
privileges, or those granted by the pope. The first
takes cognizance of personal and mixed causes between
the regents, students, &c. and the latter of spiritual
matters between ecclesiastics.
Anciently there were appointed conservators of trea-
ties of peace between princes; which conservators
became judges of the infractions made on a treaty,
and were charged with procuring satisfaction to be
made. These were usually the feudatories of the se-
veral powers. In lieu of conservators, princes now
have recourse to other indifferent princes to guarantee
their treaties.