Crown Clerkofthe

Crown, Clerk of the, the principal official of the Crown Office in Chancery (now the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice). He is an officer of Parliament and of the Lord Chancellor in his non-judicial capacity, rather than an officer of the Courts of Law. He makes out and issues summonses for the election of members to both Houses of Parliament; he has the custody of the poll-books and ballot-papers; and upon the meeting of a new Parliament he delivers to the Clerk of the House of Commons a list of the names of members returned to serve in that Parliament, after which the Commons go up to the House of Lords, and the Lord Chancellor addresses them generally upon the object and purpose of their being summoned to Parliament. The Clerk of the Crown also reads the titles of bills at the time the Royal assent is signified to them by commission. Nearly all patents passing the Great Seal, except those for inventions, are made out in his office, and he makes out the warrants for almost all letters-patent under the Great Seal. He also performs the duties formerly attached to the Clerkship of the Hanaper. He is Registrar of the Lord High Steward's Court.