Forms: α. 6 felyssour, filliser, 7–8 filizer, filizar, 9 fyliser, 7– filacer, -azer. β. 7–8 philaser, -azer, -iser, -izer. [f. FILACE + -ER2.] A former officer of the superior courts at Westminster, who filed original writs, etc. and issued processes thereon. Also a corresponding officer of the Irish superior courts.
[1432. Act 10 Hen. VI., c. 4. Que null Filicer, Exigenter, ne autre officer desore enavaunt fera tiel entree en ascun seute.]
1512. Act 4 Hen. VIII., c. 4 § 1. The Felyssour or exigenter in whose offyce suche sute is taken.
1562. Act 5 Eliz., c. 1 § 5. All Attornies, Protonotaries and Philizers.
1613. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 23. The profits of the office of a Filizer, &c. cannot be put in execution vpon a recognisance, Statute, &c. because the office it selfe, being an office of trust, cannot.
1667. Wood, Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.), II. 105. John Hickmote of Windsore in Berks, esq., a philiser.
1708. J. Chamberlayne, The Present State of Great-Britain, II. III. (1743), 266. A List of the Philazers of the Court of Common Pleas, with the counties belonging to each respective Philazer.
1818. Hallam, Mid. Ages (1872), III. 88. A petition in one of Henry IV.’s parliaments, to limit the number of attornies, and forbid filazers and prothonotaries from practising.
1827. Bingham, Reports, IV. 63. A præcipe into Cambridgeshire had been filed with the filacer of the County of Cambridge.
1837. Act 7 Will. IV. & 1 Vict., c. 30, Sched. A. Offices abolished by this Act … On the Plea Side of the Court of Queen’s Bench: The Office of … Filacer … In the Court of Common Pleas: The Office of … Filacers for the several Counties, Cities, and Towns in England and Wales.
1883. General Advertiser, 2 June. William Woodlock, Esq. … Solicitor, formerly Filazer of the Court of Equity.
