The title of chancellor originated with the Romans. It was adopted by
the church, and became a half ecclesiastic, and half lay office. The
chancellor was intrusted with all public instruments which were
authenticated; and when seals came into use, the custody of them was
confided to that officer. The mere delivery of the king’s great seal, or
the taking it away, is all the ceremony that is used in creating or
unmaking a chancellor, the officer of the greatest weight and power
subsisting in the kingdom. The first chancellor in England was appointed
in the reign of William the Conqueror, and with only one exception, it
was enjoyed by ecclesiastics until the time of Elizabeth, when such
officers were called keepers of the great seal. From the time of sir
Thomas More’s appointment, which took place in the reign of Henry VIII.,
there is only one instance of a clergyman having been elevated to the
office--namely, Dr. Williams, dean of Westminster, in the time of James
I.--The chancellor is a privy counsellor by office, and speaker of the
house of lords by prescription. To him belongs the appointment of all
justices of the peace throughout the kingdom. When the chancellor was an
ecclesiastic, he became keeper of the king’s conscience, and remained
so. He is also visitor of all hospitals and colleges of the king’s
foundation. He is patron of all livings under twenty pounds per annum in
the king’s book. He is the general guardian of all infants, idiots, and
lunatics, and has the superintendence of all charitable institutions in
the kingdom. He takes precedent of every temporal lord, except the royal
family, and of all others, except the archbishop of Canterbury. It is
declared treason by statute of Edward III. to slay the chancellor in his
place, and doing his office.--In the year 1689, there were commissioners
appointed for executing the office of lord chancellor.
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~Anonymiana.~