(clericus), a word formerly used to signify a learned man, or man of letters. The word comes from the Greek ἀνάγεις, used for clergy; but more properly signifying lot or heritage, in regard the lot and portion of clerks or ecclesiastics is to serve God. Accordingly clerus was at first used to signify those who had a particular attachment to the service of God. The origin of the expression is derived from the Old Testament, where the tribe of Levi is called the lot, heritage, ἀνάγεις; and God is reciprocally called their portion; by reason that tribe was consecrated to the service of God, and lived on the offerings made to God, without any other settled provision as the rest had. Thus, Pufuier observes, the officers of the counts (comites) were anciently created under the title of clerks of accompts; and secretaries of state were called clerks of the secret. So clericus domini regis, in the time of Edward I. was Englished, the king's secretary, or clerk of his council. The term was applied indifferently to all who made any profession of learning; or who knew how to manage the pen; though originally it was appropriated to ecclesiastics. As the nobility and gentry were usually brought up to the exercise of arms, there were none but the clergy left to cultivate the sciences; hence, as it was the clergy alone who had made any profession of letters, a very learned man came to be called a great clerk, and a stupid ignorant man a bad clerk.

CLERK is also applied to such as by their course of life exercise their pens in any court or office; of which there are various kinds: thus,

CLERK of the Bails, an officer in the court of king's bench, whose business is to file all bail-pieces taken in that court, where he always attends.

CLERK of the Check, an officer belonging to the king's court; so called, because he has the check and controulment of the yeomen that belong to the king, queen, or prince. He likewise, by himself or deputy, lets the watch in the court. There is also an officer in the navy of the same name, belonging to the king's yards.

CLERK of the Crown, an officer in the king's bench, who frames, reads, and records all indictments against offenders, there arraigned or indicted of any public crime. He is likewise termed clerk of the crown-office, in which capacity he exhibits information by order of the court for divers offences.

CLERK of the Crown, in chancery, an officer whose business it is constantly to attend the lord chancellor in person or by deputy; to write and prepare for the great seal special matters of state by commission, both ordinary and extraordinary, viz. commissions of lieutenancy, of justices of assize, oyer and terminer, gaol-delivery, and of the peace; all general pardons, granted either at the king's coronation, or in parliament; the writs of parliament, with the names of the knights, citizens, and burgesses, are also returned into his office. He also makes out special pardons and writs of execution on bonds of statute-staple forfeited.

CLERK of the Deliveries of the Ordnance. See ORDNANCE. CLERK of the Errors, in the court of common pleas, an officer who transcribes and certifies into the king's bench the tenor of the record of the action on which the writ of error, made out by the curiatus, is brought there to be determined. In the king's bench, the clerk of the errors transcribes and certifies the records of causes, by bill, in that court, into the exchequer. And the business of the clerk of the errors in the exchequer, is to transcribe the records certified thither out of the king's bench, and to prepare them for judgment in the exchequer chamber.

CLERK of the Effoins, in the court of common pleas, keeps the effoin roll, or enters effoins: he also provides parchment, cuts it into rolls, marks the numbers on them, delivers out all the rolls to every officer, and receives them again when written. See ESSEON.

CLERK of the Effreats, an officer in the exchequer, who every term receives the effreats out of the lord-treasurer's remembrancer's office, and writes them out to be levied for the crown.

CLERK of the Green Cloth, formerly an officer in chancery, but now abolished.

CLERK of the Hamper or Hanaper, an officer in chancery, whose business is to receive all money due to the king for the fees of charters, letters patent, commissions, and writs; also the fees due to the officers for enrolling and examining them.

CLERK-Comptroller of the King's Household, an officer of the king's court, authorized to allow or disallow the charges of pursuivants, messengers of the green-cloth, &c. to inspect and control all defects of any of the inferior officers; and to fit in the counting-house with the lord-steward and other officers of the household for regulating such matters.

CLERK of the King's Silver, an officer of the common pleas, to whom every fine is brought, after it has passed the office of the effos rotulorum; and who enters the effect of writs of covenant, into a book kept for that purpose, according to which all the fines of that term are recorded in the rolls of the court.

CLERK of the Market, an officer of the king's house, to whom is given the charge of the king's measure and weights, the standards of those that ought to be used all over England.

CLERK of the Nichils or Nihilt, an officer of the exchequer, who makes a roll of all such sums as are Nicholsoned by the sheriffs upon their effreats of green wax, and delivers them into the remembrancer of the treasury, to have execution done upon them for the king. See NIHIL.

CLERK of the Ordnance. See ORDNANCE.

CLERK of the Outlawries, an officer of the common pleas, and deputy to the attorney-general, for making out all writs of capias utlagatum after outlawry, to which there must be the king's attorney's name.

CLERK of the Paper-office, an officer belonging to the king's bench, whose business is to make up the paper-books of special pleadings in that court.

CLERK of the Peace, an officer belonging to the sefions of the peace, whose business is to read indictments, enrol the proceedings, and draw the process; he likewise certifies into the king's bench transcripts of indictments, outlawries, attainders, and convictions had before the justices of peace, within the time limited by statute, under a certain penalty. This office is in the gift of the effos rotulorum, and may be executed by deputy.

CLERK of the Pelle, an officer that belongs to the exchequer, whose business is to enter every teller's bill into a parchment roll called pellis receptorum; and to make another roll of payments called pellis exitium.

CLERK of the Petty Bag, an officer of the court of chancery, whereof there are three, the matter 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, controllers, &c.; liberates upon extent of statutes-flaple; conge d'elres for bishops; summons of the nobility, clergy, and burgesses to parliament; and commissions directed to knights and others of every shire, for afflicting subsidies and taxes.

CLERK of the Pipe, an officer of the exchequer, who having the account of all debts due to the king, delivered out of the remembrancer's office, charges them in a great roll folded up like a pipe. He writes out warrants to sheriffs, to levy the said debts on the goods and chattels of the debtors; and if they have no goods, then he draws them down to the treasurer's remembrancer to write effreats against their lands.

CLERK of the Pleas, an officer of the exchequer, in whose office all the officers of the court, having special privilege, ought to sue or to be sued in any action. In this office also actions at law may be prosecuted by other persons, but the plaintiff ought to be tenant or debtor to the king, or some way accountable to him. The under clerks are attorneys in all suits.

CLERKS of the Privy-seal, four officers that attend the lord privy seal, for writing and making out all things that are sent by warrant from the signet to the privy seal, and to be sealed the great seal; and likewise to make out privy seals, upon special occasions of his majesty's affairs, as for loan of money or the like.

CLERK of the Rolls, an officer of the chancery, whose business is to make searches after, and copies of deeds, officers, &c.

CLERK of the Signet, an officer continually attending upon his majesty's principal secretary, who has the custody of the privy signet, as well for sealing the king's private letters as those grants which pass the king's hand by bill signed. There are four of these officers who have their diet at the secretary's table.

Six CLERKS, officers in chancery next in degree below the twelve matters, whose business is to enrol commissions, pardons, patents, warrants, &c. which pass the great seal. They were anciently clerics, and forfeited their places if they married. These are also attorneys for parties in suits depending in the court of chancery.

CLERK of the Treasury, an officer belonging to the court of common pleas, who has the charge of keeping the records of the court, makes cut all records of nift prius, and likewise all exemplifications of records being in the treasury. He has the fees due for all searches; and has under him an under keeper, who always keeps one key of the treasury-door.

CLERK of the Warrants, an officer of the common pleas, whose business is to enter all warrants of attorney for plaintiffs and defendants in suit; and to enrol deeds of bargain and sale, that are acknowledged in court, or before a judge. His office is likewise to effreet