Cancelli

Lat. Lattices, or windows made' with bars laid cross-wise, one over another. Enclosures in courts, composed of such cross-bars, to keep off the press of the people, without obstructing their view of the court, (ingressum prohibentes, nan visum.) Spelman, voc.

Cancellarius.

CassiodoruM, lib.

11. form. 6.

The use of cancelli, in the sense of a railing or enclosure in courts, occurs as early as the time of Cicero. De Oral. i.

12.

Spelman says the bars of courts (barra,) were formerly called cancelli, and the advocates who pleaded there cancellarii, (citing Budaus;) the space within the bar was called cancellorum area. See Bar. A cancellis curia explodi; to be expelled from the bar. Spelman, ub. sup. These cancelli are otherwise called by this writer fenestrates partitiones, partitions with windows. So Cassiodorus speaks of them as lucida fore Sf (transparent doors,) claustra patentia, (open barriers,) fenestrates janua, (windowed gates.) Cassiod. ub. sup.