Page:Prerogatives of the Crown.djvu/410

 S90 Crmn Grants. [Cli XVL Sec.II. and evidence j!?^r se, without further proof (a) ; and that such seaf may not be affixed without due caution and consideration several preliminary steps are requisite. Grants or letters patent must first pass by bill {b), which is prepared by the Attorney and Solicitor-General, in consequence of a warrant from the Crown (c), and is then signed, that is, subscribed at the top, with the King's own sign manual, and sealed with his jprivy signet, which is always in the custody of the principal secretary of state; and then sometimes it immediately passes under the great seal, in which case the patent is subscribed in these words, j9er ipsum regent, by the " King himself /i)." Other- wise, the course is to carry an extract of the bill to the keeper of the pi-ivy seal, who makes out a writ or warrant thereupon to the Chancery, so that the sign manual is the warrant to the privy seal, and the privy seal is the warrant to the great seal, and in this last case the patent is subscribed, per breve de pri- vato sigillo, " by writ of privy seal (^)." But there are some grants which only pass through certain offices, as the Ad- miralty or Treasury, in consequence of a sign manual, with- out the confirmation of either the signet, the great, or the pri-m^ seal(/). It also appears {g), that chattels real can in general only pass from the Crown under the great seal. But it is a general rule, that personal things, as goods or choses in action, or the discharge of a debt, need not be granted by the Crown under the great seal, but may be legally transferred under the privy seal (/^). Various other matters of small importance may also be done without the great seal {i) ; and, it seems, that land may, (a) See 3 and 4 Ed. 6. c.4. and 13 F.l. 92. c. 6. Peake, Ev. 4th ed. 31, note c. (rf) 9 Rep. 18. Phillips, Ev. 1 ed. 173, 4. There are (e) Ibid. 2 Inst 555. three seals of which the law takes no- (/) 2 Bla. Com. 346, 7. lice, the Great Seal, the Privj' Seal, (ff) Per Coke, Attorney-General, Mo, and the Signet. 2 Inst. 554. 476. pi. 681. cited 17 Vin. Ab. 74. Pre- tents for inventions. Dig. Patent, C. 3. and 2. (c) No officer which the King has, {h) Ibid. Rol. E. 7. Com. Dig. Pa- nor altogether, may, ex officio, dispose tent, C. 5. 2,u. if without writing. Bro. <)f the King's treasure, though it be for Abr. Prerog. pi. 61. the honour or profit of the King him- (') Instances, Ibid. Vin. Ab» ubi SU' self, 11 Co. 91. b. "They cannot pra. 2 Inst. 555. cap. 6. ■'- without the King's own warrant." Ibid. by
 * (i) See ante, 188, 9 ; grants of pa- rog. F. b. sed qu. Gro. Jac. 109. Com.