Ancients
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia · John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
Gentlemen in the Inns of Courts who are of a certain standing. In the Middle Temple, all who have passed their readings are termed ancients. In Gray's Inn, the ancients are the oldest barristers; besides which, the society consists of benchers, barristers, and students; in the Inns of Chancery, it consists of ancients and students or clerks. The Council of Ancients was the upper Chamber of the French legislature under the constitution of 1795, consisting of 250, each required to be at least forty years old.