Notarial manuscripts : some interesting insights on their composition

Abstract

In past societies, notaries together with clergymen, formed that social group on whom the largely illiterate mass of the population depended. This all becomes evident when one realizes the importance attached to notarial deeds by the entire community. From the twelfth century, as towns grew and their societies became more complex, the legal profession became increasingly important in the secular world. Hence, notaries and lawyers assumed responsibilities disproportionate to their numbers since they possessed skills vital to the development of a more complex social order. An important aspect to remember when studying notarial deeds is that although they carried a public function, they were essentially private records and reflect the outcome of the coming together of different parties before a legal representative in a particular period that was regulated by its own laws and customs. They therefore provide a snapshot of the daily lives and activities of a diverse span of the population, making them an important source for the study of social attitudes and behaviour. The following paper shall focus on some of the responsibilities of the notary public and discuss a number of distinguishing features found in notarial acts.