Note 843 — IX THE STRUGGLE OF COURT AND CITY

Scargill-Bird³, 80; W. R. Anson, Law and Custom of the Constitution, ii. 1. 55; H. Hall, Studies in English Official Historical Documents, 263; M. S. C. i. 260. The stages of a patent, as settled by 27 Hen. VIII, c. 11 (1535), were (a) a Petition setting out the grant desired, and (b) a direction by the Sovereign for the preparation of (c) a King's Bill. In this the wording of the intended patent was settled, and this wording was followed, with varying initial and final formulae, in the subsequent instruments. The King's Bill received the royal Sign Manual and became the authority for the issue by a Clerk to the Signet of (d) a Signet Bill. This was sent to the Lord Privy Seal, who based upon it (e) a Writ of Privy Seal, which was addressed to the Lord Chancellor, and became in its turn the authority for the issue of (f) the actual Letters Patent under the Great Seal. These were handed to the recipient, while the Writ of Privy Seal passed on to the Six Clerks in Chancery, for (g) an Enrolment of its contents upon the Patent Roll.