MASTER OF THE ROLLS. In English Law. An officer of chancery, who has the keeping of the rolls and grants which pass the great seal and the records of the chan cery. He formerly exercised extensive judi cial functions in a chancery court rank ing next to that of the lord chancellor.
An officer with this title existed in the time of the Conqueror. He had from most ancient times an office in chancery, with distinct clerks. In early times no judicial authority was conferred by an ap pointment as master of the rolls. In the reigns of Hen. VI. and Edw. IV. he was found sitting in a judicial capacity, and from 1623 to 1873, had the regulation of some branches of the business of the court. He was the chief of the masters in chan cery; and his judicial functions, except those spe cially conferred by commission, appear to have properly belonged to him in this character. 1 Spence, Eq. Jur. 100, 357.
In the Middle Agee he was styled Clerk or Cure tor of the Rolls. He was not called Master of the Rolls in any statute till 11 Henry VII. c. 18. Orig inally differing from the other masters in chan cery only in degree, he came, in Coke's time, to bear cases and make orders in the absence of the Chancellor. It is uncertain whether he exercised
his powers by virtue of his position of a master or of the special commission addressed to him, but this was Settled by 3 Geo. 1I. c. 30, which directed that his orders (except such as the Chancellor alone could make) should be valid, subject to an appeal to the Chancellor. He sat ae a deputy of the Chancellor, I Holdsw. Hist. E. L. 214.
All orders and decrees made by him, except those appropriate to the great seal alone, were valid, un less discharged or altered 1y the lord chancellor; but had to be signed by him before enrolment ; and he was especially directed to hear motions, pleas, demurrers, and the like. Stat. 3 Geo. II. c. 30; 3 & 4 Will. IV. c. 94; 3 Hie. Corn. 442.
Under the Judicature Acts, the court of the mas ter of the rolls has been abolished, but he is a judge of the high court, and sits as the head of one of the divisions of the court of appeal. He is no longer, of necessity, a chancery lawyer.