BILL, or BILL COYP.,AINT, IN CHANCERY, was a formal statement in writing or pleading, by which. a p:aiatilf in the court of chancery asked its equitable redress or relief. It was in the style of a petition addressed to lord chancellor, lord keeper, or lords commissioners for the custody of the great seal, unless the seals were at the time in the queen's bands, or the chancellor himself were the suitor, in which case the bill addressed the queen herself; for, according to the of the court of chancery, it was the conscience of the sovereign that was there addressed. The crown itself, how ever, was also the suitor, either ou behalf of hi own prerogatives, or of those rights which are under its particular protection, such as the objects of a public charity; and then the mutter of complaint was laid before the court, not by way of bill or petition, but of But since 1874 all suiti begin by writ.
Iu plaintiff's case, the bill was formerly exceedingly prolix and tedious, but now the statement of claim of plaintiff contains merely a full and distinct account of the case, the material facts and circumstances relied on; and it should ask specid eally for the particular relief which the plaintiff conceives himself entitled to, and also , far general relief, or, as the hill once usually stated, " for such further and other relief cis the court may think proper ;" the object and advantage of which general prayer was, to decree equity and justice without regard to the particular equity sought for. It is
unnecessary that the claim be signed by counsel, in order to guard against irrelevant and improper matter. It is indeed in nearly all cases drawn by counsel, from instructions laid before him by the plaintiff's solicitor.
Where the object is the administration of the estate of a deceased person, tile pro cedure is by summons, and is of a simple and very summary nature. In Cilsei of this description, without either formal pleading or any direct application to the court itself, a summons may at once be obtained, and the estate thereupon put in a course of admin istration. There are also cases where the chancellor's aid is sought for in the form of a petition.
Generally speaking, the modern English claim in chancery very much resembles the Scotch summons and condescendence. See on the subjects of this article, CHANCERY; CHANCELLOR, LORD; PLEADING; &MINIONS; CONDEtiCENDENCE.