scrivener

thumb|Telling a problem to a public scrivener. Istanbul, 1878 thumb|An écrivain public in Chambéry, France thumb|A historical reenactment of a 15th-century scrivener recording the will of a [[man-at-arms]]

A scrivener is a professional copyist or scribe whose occupation involves writing or preparing official documents, such as deeds, contracts, mortgages, and other legal instruments, typically for a fee. The profession originated in medieval Europe amid low literacy rates, where scriveners handled essential secretarial, administrative, and notarial duties, often functioning in the lower echelons of the legal field akin to early solicitors. Scriveners later developed into notaries, court reporters, and in England and Wales, scrivener notaries. Styles of handwriting used by scriveners included secretary hand, book hand and court hand.