in the civil law, the act of stipulating, that is, of treating and concluding terms and conditions to be inserted in a contract. Stipulations were anciently performed at Rome, with abundance of ceremonies; the first whereof was, that one party should interrogate, and the other answer, to give his consent, and oblige himself. By the ancient Roman law, nobody could stipulate but for himself; but as the tabelliones were public servants, they were allowed to stipulate for their masters; and the notaries succeeding the tabelliones have inherited the same privilege.