Notary
a public official authorized to attest signatures in deeds, contracts, affidavits, and declarations. They protest bills of exchange and notes, draw NOTATION up protests after receiving affidavits of mariners and masters of ships, and administer oaths. Also called a notary public.
Originally, among the ancient Romans, a person employed to take notes of trials, proceedings in courts, contracts, etc., a shorthand writer. This kind of work was at first usually performed by slaves, but the notarii, as they increased in ability and raised themselves above the servile ranks, gradually assumed the duties and functions of the tabelliones, writers who, under the Roman law, were employed in drawing up contracts, wills, and commercial documents.