Akademik

Records of letters, mandates, and other writs of a private nature, which were addressed to individuals in the king's name and were closed, then sealed on the outside with the *great seal (hence close roll). Many of these would have been summonses issued to barons to attend *parliament. When folded these letters could become small enough to fit in the hand and could even be swallowed in extremis. -

Cf. Fine Rolls; Letters Patent Rolls; Pipe Rolls