CHANCELLOR (Lat. eancellarius). It is said that the chief notary or scribe of the Roman emperor was called either because lie was intrusted with the power of obliter ating, cancelling, or crossing out (cancellare, to make lattice-work) such expressions in the edicts of the prince as seemed to him to be at variance with the laws, or otherwise erroneous; or because he sat intra cancellos, within the latticework or railings (cancan) which were erected to protect the emperor from the crowding of the people when he sat in judgment. Neither the title nor the office of C. is at all peculiar to England. The C. of (chancelier de France), from a very early time, was an officer of state of great power and dignity, under whom several other officers, bearing also the title of C., were employed in the adtainistration of justice and in the defense of the public order. The C. of France was the constitutional interpreter of the will of the sovereign; his functions being, on the whole, analogous to those exercised by the C. of England. As an instance in the change of the value of money, not more remarkable than many which could be cited in our own country, it may be mentioned that, in 1290, the salary of this high official was six sous a day, with the privilege, to him and his, of eating at the court. When he was at Paris, and ate at his own lodgings, he had 20
sous a day. The office was abolished at the revolution; and though it was restored by the Bourbons, and even under the first Napoleon the higher-sounding title of archi chancelier was revived, many of the functions of the old C. were transferred to the minister of justice, and have ever since been held by him.
In most of the other countries of Europe there arc officers of state who bear this, or analogous titles, though their powers and duties are very various. The chief function ary in the Austrian empire has often been termed C.; and on the reconstitution of the German empire, prince Bismarck was made " C. of the empire" (1?cieksk.anzler). Besides these state-chancellors, there were officers in many other capacities to whom the title was given. Every bishop has his 'C. in the church of Rome, and there are still law chancellors of cathedrals, dioceses, universities, etc.