Worshipful Company of Scriveners
Encyclopedia
The Worshipful Company of Scriveners of the City of London is one of the Livery Companies
of the City of London
. It is also known as the Mysterie of Writers of the Court Letter. The Company had been responsible for setting qualifications and regulations for scrivener
notaries
since its foundation in 1373. It secured a Royal Charter
from King James I
in 1617.
In 1801, Parliament passed the Public Notaries Act, under which only members of the Company could become scrivener notaries. Historically, scrivener notaries were the only notaries public
permitted to practice in the City of London
, the liberties
of Westminster
, The Borough (Southwark
), and the area within three miles of the City. Due to their geographical proximity to the embassies of many civil law
countries, scrivener notaries are only appointed after a two year apprenticeship to a practicing scrivener notary. Scrivener notaries must be fluent in one or two foreign languages and be familiar with the principles and practice of foreign law. The historical privilege of scrivener notaries was abolished by the Access to Justice Act 1999, since when any public notary may practice in the City of London and surrounding area. Nonetheless, the Company still retains the power to set standards and qualifications for London's scrivener notaries.
In the order of precedence
of the Livery Companies of London, the Scriveners' Company is forty-fourth. The motto of the Company is Littera Scripta Manet, Latin for the Written Word Remains.
Livery Company
The Livery Companies are 108 trade associations in the City of London, almost all of which are known as the "Worshipful Company of" the relevant trade, craft or profession. The medieval Companies originally developed as guilds and were responsible for the regulation of their trades, controlling,...
of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It is also known as the Mysterie of Writers of the Court Letter. The Company had been responsible for setting qualifications and regulations for scrivener
Scrivener
A scrivener was traditionally a person who could read and write. This usually indicated secretarial and administrative duties such as dictation and keeping business, judicial, and history records for kings, nobles, temples, and cities...
notaries
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
since its foundation in 1373. It secured a Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
from King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1617.
In 1801, Parliament passed the Public Notaries Act, under which only members of the Company could become scrivener notaries. Historically, scrivener notaries were the only notaries public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
permitted to practice in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, the liberties
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
of Westminster
Liberty of Westminster
The City and Liberty of Westminster was an independent liberty, located to the west of the City of London in the county of Middlesex, England....
, The Borough (Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
), and the area within three miles of the City. Due to their geographical proximity to the embassies of many civil law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
countries, scrivener notaries are only appointed after a two year apprenticeship to a practicing scrivener notary. Scrivener notaries must be fluent in one or two foreign languages and be familiar with the principles and practice of foreign law. The historical privilege of scrivener notaries was abolished by the Access to Justice Act 1999, since when any public notary may practice in the City of London and surrounding area. Nonetheless, the Company still retains the power to set standards and qualifications for London's scrivener notaries.
In the order of precedence
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
of the Livery Companies of London, the Scriveners' Company is forty-fourth. The motto of the Company is Littera Scripta Manet, Latin for the Written Word Remains.
External links
- The Scriveners' Company
- Scriveners' Company Common Paper: a full-text edition of the principal record of the company from 1357 to 1678. Originally published by the London Record Society (1968, ed. Francis W. Steer), included as part of British History Online.