Legal Definitions - filla

The term filla refers to a historical element found on legal documents: the ribbon or cord from which a wax or lead seal would hang at the bottom of a deed, charter, or other important legal paper. In eras before widespread literacy and standardized signatures, seals were crucial for authenticating documents and signifying agreement or authority. The filla was the physical connection that attached this vital seal to the document itself.

• Example 1: Medieval Land Grant

  Imagine a royal charter from the 13th century, where a king formally grants a large estate to a baron. At the very bottom of this parchment document, a large, impressive wax seal bearing the king's emblem would be attached, not directly to the paper, but suspended by a colorful silk filla. This ribbon ensured the seal, which authenticated the king's decree, was securely linked to the grant.

  This example illustrates how the filla served as the physical tether for the monarch's seal, making the land grant an officially recognized and binding legal document.

• Example 2: Historical Business Contract

  Consider a detailed trade agreement drafted between two prominent merchants in 16th-century Venice. To finalize the binding terms of their deal, each merchant would have affixed their personal wax seal to the document. These seals, unique to each individual, would hang from separate, perhaps distinctively colored, fillae at the document's lower edge, visually confirming their mutual consent and commitment to the contract.

  Here, the filla demonstrates its role in attaching individual seals to a commercial contract, signifying the personal agreement and legal obligation of each party involved.

• Example 3: University Charter of Foundation

  When a new university was established in the 14th century, it would often receive a formal charter from the ruling authority, outlining its privileges, rights, and responsibilities. This foundational document would typically feature a grand seal of the granting institution or monarch, suspended by a durable filla. The seal's presence, secured by the ribbon, was paramount to the charter's legitimacy and the university's legal standing for centuries to come.

  This scenario highlights the filla's importance in connecting a seal of high authority to a foundational institutional document, ensuring its authenticity and enduring legal power.