Lector De Letra Antiqua

In Spanish law. The person duly authorized by the government to read and decipher ancient documents and titles, in order to entitle them to legal effect in courts of justice. The importance of the functions of this officer caused the queen of Spain to issue an ordinance on the 2d of July, 1838, ordering that no person should be permitted to exercise it unless he justified, first, that he was a man of good character; second, that he was twenty-five years of age, and submitted to a strict examination, justifying that he was acquainted with the Latin language, and especially with the idioms of it used in writings and documents of the middle ages, also with the Romance or ancient Castilian, the Limousin, used in the ancient provinces of Arragon, paleology, Spanish history and chronology; and, third, that he could decipher the ancient manuscripts preserved in the archives of Spain, the ancient modes of writing, and the changes introduced in it By time. This examination to be conducted under the superintendence of the Chefe Politico, and the proces verbal forwarded to the queen, together with the observations of the board of examiners. Escriche, Die. Raz.

In Spanish Law. The person duly authorized by the government to read and decipher ancient documents and titles, in order to entitle them to legal effect in courts of Justice.

In Spanish law. A person appointed by competent authority to read and decipher ancient writings, to the end that they may be presented on the trial of causes as documents entitled to legal credit. Escriche.