protocollum

protocollum [ML < πρωτόκολλον], prothogollum [ME prothogol, protogol] 1 official copy of legal document, maintained in possession of notary or sim. official, and from which other copies might be created or checked for authenticity, (also) book or register containing such official copies. 1289 vobis ‥ mandamus quod reficiatis instrumentum predictum, illud de ~collo seu registro vestro fideliter extrahentes RGasc II 395b; 1320 instrumentum non conficiam de aliquo contractu in quo sciam intervenire ‥ vim vel fraudem; contractus [? l. contractum] in prothocollum redigam et, postquam in prothocollum redegero ‥ Reg. Heref. 148; 1434 aut in notis seu prothocollis eorum receperint, ‥ nonnulla jura, acta, ‥ instrumenta, ‥ et munimenta causam ‥ concernencia Amund. I 392; 1437 prefatus R. habet officium rememoratoris, et custodiam papirorum, prothogalium, et [registrorum omnium] notariorum regalium et imperialium (Pat) Arch. Gironde XVI p. 235; 1464 W. P. procurator ‥ quoddam protagollum ‥ ostendebat et ‥ dictum protagollum si manus dicti notarii esset examinari ‥ per testes ‥ qui manum ipsius ‥ noverunt instanter petiit Reg. Brechin II 102; 1503 ipsum juramentum ‥ cum prestatum fuerit per notarios publicos ‥ in prothogolis et scriptis redigi ac instrumentum ‥ superinde fieri RScot 561b (cf. ib. 572b: prothocollis); 1503 Margareta C. et ‥ sponsus suus ‥ resignavit in manibus Johannis R. unius ballivorum burgi de A. ‥ tenementum ac petiam horti in prothagollo immediate precedente in favorem fratrum minorum Scot. Grey Friars II 223; 1549 de prothogollis notariorum defunctorum: statuit hec synodus ‥ ut prothocolla sive libri et inbreviature notariorum defunctorum ‥ ad officialem illius dioecesis ‥ actualiter deliberentur Conc. Scot. II 112–3. 2 prefatory epistle (perh. w. ref. to ‘cover-letter’ accompanying longer document). 1166 quod ‥ ei scribendum fuerat, nisi deficientis prothocolli brevitas obstetisset, ei ‥ suaderi desidero J. Sal. Ep. 179 (172).