he Six Clerks and their under-clerks appear to have acted
as the attorneys of the suitors. As business increased, these
under-clerks became a distinct body, and were recognized by the
court under the denomination of 'sworn clerks,' or 'clerks in
court.' The advance of commerce, with its consequent accession of
wealth, so multiplied the subjects requiring the judgment of a Court
of Equity, that the limits of a public office were found wholly
inadequate to supply a sufficient number of officers to conduct the
business of the suitors. Hence originated the 'Solicitors' of the
"Court of Chancery." See Smith's "Chancery Practice," p. 62, 3rd
edit. The "Six Clerks" were abolished by act of Parliament,
5 Vict. c. 5.]

but could find none that could write the hand, that were at leisure.
And so in a despair went to the Admiralty, where we met the first time
there, my Lord Montagu, my Lord Barkley, Mr. Coventry, and all the
rest of the principal Officers and Commissioners, [except] only the
Controller, who is not yet chosen. At night to Mr. Kipps's lodgings, but
not finding him, I went to Mr. Spong's and there I found him and got him
to come to me to my Lord's lodgings at 11 o'clock of night, when I got
him to take my bill to write it himself (which was a great providence
that he could do it) against to-morrow morning. I late writing letters
to sea by the post, and so home to bed. In great trouble because I heard
at Mr. Beale's to-day that Barlow had been there and said that he would
make a stop in the business.

13th. Up early, the first day that I put on my black camlett coat with
silver buttons. To Mr. Spong, whom I found in his night-down writing
of my patent, and he had done as far as he could "for that &c." by
8 o'clock. It being done, we carried it to Worcester House to the
Chancellor, where Mr. Kipps (a strange providence that he should now be
in a condition to do me a kindness, which I never thought him capable of
doing for me), got me the Chancellor's recepi to my bill; and so carried
it to Mr. Beale for a dockett; but he was very angry, and unwilling to
do it, because he said it was ill writ (because I had got it writ by
another hand, and not by him); but by much importunity I got Mr. Spong
to go to his office and make an end of my patent; and in the mean time
Mr. Beale to be preparing my dockett, which being done, I did give him
two pieces, after which it wa