There are four of these officers, who attend the ford privy seal, or. in the absence of the lord privy seal, the principal secretary of state. Their duty is to write and make out all things that are sent by warrant from the signet to the privy seal, and which are to be passed to the great seal; and also to make out privy seals (as they are termed) upon any special occasion of his majesty’s affairs, as for the loan of money and such like purposes. Cowell