1822 Oct¼r. 3¼d.

Tripoli. Account of

?.5. Religious Establishment.

Notaries

Attached to every Mosque are moreover two Notaries. Such, in the language of Rome©bred law, is the appellation in the compass of a single word, by which a general conception of their functions may be best conveyed. In the language of English law they may be termed Conveyancers: it being understood that in those same functions as in those of the French ”Notaire•, is included the conveyancing that part of the business of an /the/ English sort of professional lawyer, who used to be called an Attorney, but who, /that name having been so much worn by obloquy, has tried to make its escape out of it, and/ within these few years, having worn out that name, is affronted if spoken of or to out of Court or Office by any other name than Solicitor.

Of these official persons, the function consists in drawing up the several written instruments, private as well as public, to which such a degree of importance is attached as causes them to be committed to writing.

In particular, conveyances and contracts having for their subject matter property or condition in life.

Another service in which their skill is occasionally employed, is that of drawing up what, in the language of the French Edition of Rome©bred law, is stiled a ”praces©verbal•. For preventing the deperition of a lot of evidence that may eventually become necessary on the occasion of a suit not yet in existence, or not yet ripe for the receipt of Evidence, provision for instance is made by the Ministry of these functionaries. Witnesses are in this way examined ”in perpetuam nei memoriam•: and, how incredible soever it may appear to Lord Eldon, without the benefit /assistance/ of a suit in Chancery, or that side of the Court of Exchequer which calls its proceedings Equity.