a person employed to take care of and manage suits depending in the courts of law or equity. Solicitors are within the statute to be sworn, and admitted by the judges, before they are allowed to practise in our courts, in like manner as attorneys.

There is also a great officer of the law, next to the attorney-general, who is styled the king's solicitor-general; who holds his office by patent during the king's pleasure, has the care and concern of managing the king's affairs, and has fees for pleading, besides other fees arising by patents, &c. He attends on the privy-council; and the attorney-general and he were anciently reckoned among the officers of the exchequer; they have their audience, and come within the bar in all other courts.