A lay officer under a bishop, who is judge of his court. In the first ages of the church the bishops had those officers, who were called church lawyers, and were bred up in the knowledge of the civil and canon law: their business was to assist the bishop in his diocese.

We read of no chancellors till Henry the Second's time; but that the king requiring the attendance of the bishops in his councils, it was thought necessary to substitute chancellors in their room for the despatch of business.