of a great seal.

With the Norman Conquest the old tradition of the Anglo-Saxons
disappeared. The Conqueror brought with him the practice of the Roman
chancery, which naturally followed the Capetian model; and his diplomas
of English origin differed only from those of Normandy by the addition
of his new style, _rex Anglorum_, in the superscription. But even from
the first there was a tendency to simplicity in the new English
chancery, not improbably suggested by the brief formalities of
Anglo-Saxon charters, and, side by side with the more formal royal
diplomas, others of shorter form and less ceremony were issued, which by
the reign of Henry II. quite superseded the more solemn documents. These
simpler charters began with the royal superscription, the address, and
the salutation, e.g. _Willelmus, Dei gratia rex Anglorum, N. episcopo et
omnibus baronibus et fidelibus suis Francis et Anglis salutem_. Then
followed the notification and the grant, e.g. _Sciatis me concessisse_,
&c., generally without final clauses, or, if any, brief clauses of
protection and warranty; and, at the end, the list of witnesses and the
date. The regnal year was usually cited; but the year of the Incarnation
was also sometimes given. The great seal was appended. To some of the
Conqueror's charters his subscription and those of his queen and sons
are attached, written by the scribe, but accompanied with crosses which
may or may not be autograph. By the reign of John the simpler form of
royal charters had taken final shape, and from this time the acts of the
kings of England have been classified under three heads: viz. (1)
Charters, generally of the pattern described above; (2) Letters patent,
in which the address is general, _Universis presentes litteras
inspecturis_, &c.; the corroborative clause describes the character of
the document, _In cujus rei testimonium has literas nostras fieri
fecimus patentes_; the king himself is his own witness, _Teste me ipso_;
and the great seal is appended; (3) Close letters, administrative
documents conveying orders, the king witnessing, _Teste me ipso_.

The style of the English kings down to John was, with few exceptions,
_Rex Anglorum_; thenceforward, _Rex Angliae_. Henry II. added the feudal
titles, _dux Normannorum et Aquitanorum et comes Andegavorum_, which
Henry III. curtailed to _dux Aquitaniae_. John added the title _dominus
Hiberniae_; Edward III., on claiming the crown of France, styled himself
rex