according to Du Cange, signified formerly the pope's or emperor's treasurer: at present, camerlingo is nowhere used but at Rome, where it denotes the cardinal who governs the Ecclesiastical State, and administers justice. It is the most eminent office at the court of Rome, because he is at the head of the treasury. During a vacation of the papal chair, the cardinal camerlingo publishes edicts, coins money, and exerts every other prerogative of a sovereign prince; he has under him a treasurer-general, auditor-general, and 12 prelates called clerks of the chamber.