in Scotland, was the chief in matters of justice. In the laws of King Malcolm II., he is placed before all other officers; and from these it appears that he had the principal direction of the chancery, or chancellorship as it is called, which is his proper office. He had the custody of the king's seal; and he was the king's most intimate counsellor, as appears by an old law cited by Sir James Balfour: "The chancellor..." Chancellor, chancellor fal at al tymes affist the king, in giving him counsell mhir secretly nor the rest of the nobility, to quais ordinances all officiaris, als well of the realme as of the kingis hous, fould answer and obey. The chancellor fall be ludgit neir unto the kingis grace, for keiping of his bodie, and the feill; and that he may be readie baith day and night at the kingis command.

By having the custody of the great feal, he had an opportunity of examining the king's grants, and other deeds which were to pass under it, and to cancel them if they appeared against law, and were obtained surreptitiously or by false suggestions.

King James VI. ordained the chancellor to have the first place and rank in the nation, ratione officii; by virtue whereof he presided in the parliament, and in all courts of judicature. After the restoration of King Charles II. by a particular declaratory law, parliament first, the lord chancellor was declared, by virtue and right of his office, president, in all the meetings of parliament, or other public judicatories of the kingdom. Although this act was made to declare the chancellor president of the exchequer as well as other courts, yet in 1663 the king declared the treasurer to be president of that court.

The office of lord chancellor was abolished by the Union, there being no farther use for the judicial part of this office; and to answer all the other parts of the chancellor's office, a lord keeper of the great seal was erected, with a salary of £3000 a-year.

Chancellor of a cathedral, an officer that hears lections and lectures read in the church, either by himself or his vicar; to correct and set right the reader when he reads amiss; to inspect schools; to hear causes; apply the seal; write and dispatch the letters of the chapter; keep the books; take care that there be frequent preachings, both in the church and out of it; and assign the office of preaching to whom he pleases.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, an officer appointed chiefly to determine controversies between the king and his tenants of the duchy land, and otherwise to direct all the king's affairs belonging to that court. See Duchy Court.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, an officer who presides in that court, and takes care of the interest of the crown. He is always in commission with the lord-treasurer, for the letting of crown lands, &c., and has power with others, to compound for forfeitures of lands upon penal statutes. He has also great authority in managing the royal revenues, and in matters relating to the first fruits.

Chancellor of the order of the Garter, and other Military Orders, is an officer who seals the commissions and mandates of the chapter and assembly of the knights, keeps the register of their proceedings, and delivers acts thereof under the seal of their order.

Chancellor of an University, is he who seals the diplomas, or letters of degrees, provision, &c., given in the university.

The chancellor of Oxford is usually one of the prime nobility, chosen by the students themselves in convocation. He is their chief magistrate; his office is, durante vita, to govern the university, preserve and defend its rights and privileges, convene assemblies, and do justice among the members under this jurisdiction.

Under the chancellor is the vice chancellor, who is chosen annually, being nominated by the chancellor, and elected by the university in convocation. He is always the head of some college, and in holy orders. His proper office is to execute the chancellor's power, to govern the university according to her statutes, to see that officers and students do their duty, that courts be duly called, &c. When he enters upon his office, he chooses four pro-vice chancellors out of the heads of the colleges, to execute his power in his absence.

The chancellor of Cambridge is also usually one of the prime nobility, and in most respects the same as that in Oxford; only he does not hold his office durante vita, but may be elected every three years. Under the chancellor there is a commissary, who holds a court of record for all privileged persons and scholars under the degree of master of arts, where all causes are tried and determined by the civil and statute law, and by the custom of the university.

The vice chancellor of Cambridge is chosen annually by the senate, out of two persons nominated by the heads of the several colleges and halls.

Chancellor's Court. See University Courts.