Signature

In Ecclesiastical Law. The name of a sort of rescript, without seal, containing the supplication, the signature of the pope or his delegate, and the grant of a pardon. Diet. Dr. Canonique. In Practice. By signature is understood the act of putting down a man's name at the end of an instrument, to adopt its statements, or attest its validity. The name or the doing of some act intended by the person to be equivalent to the actual signature of the name. Pry Specif. Pert § 517; 3 Mer. 2. It is not necessary that a party should write his name himself, to constitute a signature; nor is it necessary that it be written as distinguished from signing by mark, by print, by stamp, or by the hand of another, 157 Mass. 439; or another may, with the signer's consent, guide his hand. 4 Wash. C. C. (.V. S.) 262, 269. A mark is sufficient even though the party is able to write. 8 Adol. & E. 94; 3 Nev. & P. 228; 3 Curt. C. C. (U. S.) 752; 2 Johns. (N. Y.) 144; and a printed name, if ratified and adopted, will suffice. Fry. Spec. Pert § 518; 2 B. & P. 239; 27 W. R. 706; 48 L. J. Ch. 567; 2 M. & S. 286. See Sign.

The writing or subscribing of one's name on an instrument by which it is made the act Of the party subscribing; the name so subscribed.

A sign or mark impressed upon any thing; a stamp; a mark; the name of a person written and subscribed by himself. Signature implies the personal act of writing of his own name by a man, or that of actually making his mark. Authorizing another person to do either is not sufficient. Chapman v. Limerick, 56 Me. 390. Where the signature of the clerk is made by pasting on to the writ a piece of paper with his signature on it, there is no defect apparent on the record, as it may have been done with his permission. Stevens v. Ewer, 2 Mete. {Mass.) 74. Signature, in a statute relative to obtaining a signature by false pretences, includes indorsement of a negotiable note. People u. Chapman, 4 Park. Cr. 56.