The New International Encyclopædia/Great Seal

GREAT SEAL. The official sign of the royal authority in England. All documents of importance emanating from the Crown, as grants, charters, and writs, were required to be authenticated by it. It was called “The key of the kingdom,” and was intrusted to the Lord Chancellor, who was also known as the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. In the reign of Edward I. it became customary to issue writs under the privy seal, which might be affixed by any secretary of the King, but this practice was forbidden by statute in 1300. By act of union between England and Scotland (5 Anne, ch. 8), one great seal for the United Kingdom of Great Britain is used for sealing writs to summon Parliament, for treaties with foreign States, and all public acts of State affecting Great Britain. The holder of the great seal is still the Lord Chancellor. A seal is also kept in Scotland for sealing grants and writs affecting private rights there. As regards Ireland, the Act of Union (39 and 40 George III., ch. 67) provided that various acts, as to summoning Parliament, etc., should be done under the great seal of the United Kingdom; but in other respects the great seal of Ireland is used in the same manner as before the union.