Legal Definitions - clause rolls

Definition: Clause rolls are historical sealed rolls that contain royal writs (close writs) and other documents that the sovereign deemed inappropriate for the public record. They are also known as close rolls. Close writs are legal documents issued by the monarch or other high-ranking officials.

Examples: One example of a clause roll is the Charter Roll, which contains copies of charters issued by the monarch. Another example is the Patent Roll, which contains letters patent issued by the monarch. These rolls were kept sealed and were not available for public viewing.

Explanation: Clause rolls were used to keep certain documents private and away from public scrutiny. They were sealed and kept in the custody of the Chancery, which was responsible for the administration of justice. The examples given illustrate the types of documents that were included in clause rolls, such as charters and letters patent.