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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
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Regalité, -ie, n. Also: regall-, rigal-, ragal- and -ity, -yté, -ytey, -etie, -ietie, -itee; Regalitate. [Late ME and e.m.E. regalite local jurisdiction properly appertaining to the king (once, 1414), sovereign rule or jurisdiction (1422), a monarchical state (1486), a right or privilege appropriate to a king (1523), AF and OF regalité, med. L. regalitas.]For many further references, see the index to Acts XII.

1. Royalty; ? sovereign jurisdiction, ? royal dignity. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1418 (Asl.).
Prince of poetis King Dauid berand crowne Ryngand as roy in gret regalite [Harl. -itee]

2. a. A territorial jurisdiction, co-extensive with that exercised by the Crown, conferred by the king upon a subject; see Lord of Regalite below.In civil matters this jurisdiction was equal to that of a sheriff; in criminal matters, to that of the justiciary, though not competent in cases of treason.Orig. appar. conferred only as part of and along with a grant of land by the king.For further information and discussion, see the introduction to Dunferm. Reg. Ct.For many further examples, see Replege v. and Replegiatio(u)n(e n. ?a1314 Carnwath Baron Ct. liv.
[In libero comitatu ac in libera regalitate c1358 Liber Melros 400.
Teneant habeant … omnes terras suas … in liberam regalitatem 1380 Reg. Episc. Morav. 183.
Vel servitia curie regalitatis de Badenach 1384 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I 167.]
In curia nostre regalitatis de la Garuiach(1) 1457 Acts II 49/2.
Gif ony lorde haifande regalite abuse it 1496 Acta Conc. II 29.
The crimynale accions … [to] be callit before the Justice … but prejudice of the Lord of Drumlanerig regalite 1510 Reg. Privy S. I 328/1.
That … he [sc. the King] sall … approve and conserf the ald use and consuetude of regalite usit and brukit be thaim 1526 Liber Aberbr. 460.
Forsamekill … owr abbay of Arbroyth and abbottis tharof ar infeft of ald of fre regalite and iustice ayris to be haldyn be thar balyeis wythin thar landys 1531 Bell. Boece II 277.
[Malcolm Canmore] gaif to Makduf … iij privilegis, … the thrid, he sal have fre regalite, … to replege his men, gif neid beis, fra the kingis lawis to his regalite 1537 Red Bk. Grandtully I 183. a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii 59.
Than our regalitie Hes power planely to replege thame heir c1575 Balfour Pract. 571.
Gif thair be ony persounis that has regalitie, thay may desire ony persoun indytit to be repledgit to thair awin court 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Iter marg.
Replegiation, be reason of regalitie 1629 Red Bk. Menteith II 25.
Any heretable office, sherrifship, baillerie, stuartrie, or regalitie a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 38.
Regalitie is a frie jurisdictione within itself and not subject to the shireffe 1633 Acts V 63/1.
His majestie … wodsett and impignorat to the said … Earle of Sutherland … the richt of regalitie of … the said earldome 1652 Retours I Inq. Spec. Linlithgow (181).
Regallitie 1653 Ib. Inq. Spec. Kirkcudbr. (259).
With priveledge of regalitie and justiciarie within the bounds of the said lands ?1657 Ib. II Inq. Spec. Kirkcudbr. (425).
And frie jurisdiction of regalitie (1633) Purves Revenue Crown 68.
Acts and statutes … anent the … regallitie of erectiones(2) c1420 Wynt. vi 540.
[He] ekyd the dotatyowne Off Saynt Andrewys Kyrk in fe Wyth landis in [C. and] regalyte 1497–8 Acta Conc. II 100.
The bischoprik of Murray allegyit … til pertene to him and to his kirk … in fre regalite 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 12.
He holdeth his earldome and lands in regalitie and blench

b. Land or territory subject to such jurisdiction.Freq. in opposition to rialté (= lands directly subject to royal jurisdiction).Sometimes in quasi-adj., post-positional, use. 1491 Acts II 225/1.
Quhare ony man happinis to be slane … alswele within regalite as within rialte 1545 Reg. Privy C. I 6.
All sheriffs stewartis ballies alswele regalitie as ryalte 1553 Treas. Acc. X 210.
Chargeing lordis, … gentillmen … , baith to burgh and lande, regalite and realte, to meit my lorde governour in Jedburght 1565 Reg. Privy C. I 371.
Fensabill personis alsweill dwelland to burgh as to land, within regalitie as rialtie c1566 Fife Sheriff Ct. 406.
Courtis are to be haldin outher within the tolbuith of the principall town of the schirefdome within regalitie barony or burcht 1568 Warrender P. (S.H.S.) I 59.
Our soverane ladyis liegis … alsweill regalitie as ryaltie 1587 Acts III 434/1.
Quhilkis breves salbe direct to the schiref of the schyre quhair thar wes na regalitie befoir and quhair thair wes ony regalitie quhilk hes now ane heretable baillie or stewart the samin salbe direct to the said baillie or stewart … the quhilk breif … being retourit to … [the] chancellarie quhidder the saidis landis ly in ryaltie or regalitie 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Schireff.
The schireffe … alsweill within regalitie, as royaltie, suld search, seeke [etc.] … all declared traitoures [etc.] 1641 Peebles Chart. 104.
Within the haill boundes of the Shereffdome of Peibilles alseweill regalitie as royaltie(b) 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 110.
The … bailleis, bayth to burch and land, alsweill rigalitie and rialtie

c. Of regalité, in (? chiefly) sense a, also sense b, above.Lord of regalité, the person to whom such jurisdiction was granted. Baillie (also stewart) of regalitie, see Bailȝe n.¹Burgh of regalité, a burgh under the jurisdiction of a Lord of regalité.Court of regalité, see also 4 below.(1) 1436 Acts II 23/1 (see 3 (1) below). c1500 Harl. MS 4700 275b.
Gif the actioun depend betuix ane burgh & ane lord of regalitie [etc.] 1575 Acts III 94/1.
And within regalitie the twa part to his hienes vse and the thrid part to the vse of the lord of regalitie 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii i 1 (1678) 352.
The justices have only a criminal jurisdiction, the lords of session … a meerly civil jurisdiction, lords of regality and sheriffs a mixt jurisdiction 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 64.
My Lord Archbishop … is lord of free regalitie, and … has as great … jurisdiction within … his severall regalities as the Justice Generall(2) 1432 Acts II 21/1.
Gif ony schiref or minister of regalite at [etc.] 1491 Ib. 225/1.
Als haistely as the schiref … or Justice of Regalite can be certifiit tharof 1533–4 Melville Chart. 72.
The lavborghis fundin be thame of befor the baillie of regalite 1544 Reg. Privy S. III 112/1.
To all and sindry our justice, schireffis, stewartis, ballies alswele of regalite as rialte 1600 Fraser P. 233.
The saids offices of baillierie, regalitie [etc.] 1639 Stow 143.
[The laird of Torsonce was] baillie of regality 1641 Peebles Chart. 105.
That na persoune nor persounes ather of regalitie or royaltie wha are not burgessis … preswme [etc.](3) 1552–3 Reg. Privy S. IV 310/2.
The toun of Rosmarkie wes infeft … in fre burgh of regalite 1561 Reg. Dunferm. 455.
To the scrybe of the court of regalitie 1574 Rec. Earld. Orkney 135.
The sheriff court of Orknay and court of regalitie of the sammyn … haldin … be … Lord Robert Stevart … sherif principall and bailȝe iusticiar … of the samyne 1677 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) App. 38.
The Burroughs of Scotland are of three sorts; either Royal Burghs, Burghs of Regality, or Burghs of Barony 1679 Sc. N. & Q. XII 153.
Holden to answer before my Lords Court of Regallity 1686 Conv. Burghs IV 60.
The burghs of barronie and regality 16.. R. Gordon in Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 393.
Thir burrowis of regalitie and of baronie, had nothing to doe in the cheef Convention of the Stats cald a Parliament 1701 Conv. Burghs IV 315.
The unfree burghs of regalitie and barronie

3. A particular territory subject to such jurisdiction.(1) c1420 Wynt. v 2906.
The teyndys off all feys, Landys, and regalyteis 1436 Acts II 23/1.
That nothir lorde of regalite, schiref, na baroune, sell ony thefe [etc.] … vndir the payn to the lordis of regalite doing in the contrary of tynsall of regaliteis, & to barounis justicis & schireffis of lyfe & gudis 1449 Ib. 36/2.
That al regaliteis that ar in the kingis handis … be haldyn in ryalte and iustifiit be the kingis justice 1491 Ib. (1597) i 82.
Gif he happenis to flie in the regalitie out of the royaltie, the schireffe [etc.] 1540 Reg. Morton II 264.
Ane hale and frie lordschip, fre regalite, and barony callit Dalkeith 1548 Reg. Privy C. in Sc. Hist. Rev. IX 62.
[The Barony of Maryculter] in tymes bypast replegit fra the schiref of Kincardin & his deputis to the fredome & privelege of the said regalite & baillies courttis thairof a1568 Sempill Sat. P. xlvii 107.
Bot send thame heir to oure regalitie, And we sall see gif we can serve thair neid c1575 Balfour Pract. 289.
Because the regalitie is ane fre jurisdictioun erectit be the self, and not subject to the schiref Ib. 282. 1624 Justiciary Cases I 18.
The heid burgh of our shirefdome stewartrie or regalite 1622-6 Bisset I 247/10. a1650 Row 345.
He declares that he will have also all heretable offices, all regalities and all blench holden lands submitted to him 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii v 1 (1678) 373.
The lord of regality might disolve, and dismember that part from the regality, without the bailies consent Ib. xi 1 (1678) 402.
But regalities are fews, which are granted by the king to a subject 1682 Spottiswoode Misc. I 317.
Four church regalities, … one temporall regalitie 16.. Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 194.
Antiently a pairt of the Abbacie of Paslay mortiefied by the Earles of Lennox and erected in a regality(2) 1398 Acts I 208/1.
Al lordis & officeris of regalitez 1432 Ib. II 21/2.
Gif the lorde of the regalite … executis nocht the law … he salbe in elik payn to the king as is the schiref 1438 Ib. 32/1.
This act to be … fulfillyt be the offysaris of the lordis of regalyteys … vyth help … of the lordis of the realteys 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II 232.
Lordis of regaliteis within thair jurisdictiounis and baronys within thair baronyis a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 38.
Lords of regalities should hold justice courts twise a yeir(3) 1490 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 368.
Be Schir Dauy Stewart justis of the regalite 1536 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 138.
Mair and officer of the said regalite a1586 Maitland Ho. Seytoun 57.
The office of justitiary of all the landis and regallities pertaining to the said archbishoprick 1578 Reg. Privy C. II 697.
Undoubtit baillies of the said lordship and regalitie 1587 Acts III 435/2.
In causis criminall the said … stewart of the regalitie salbe juge competent in all maner of crymes quhairin the lord … of the regality wes accustumat to be iudge in tymes bipast 1622-6 Bisset I 241/12.
Schireff clerkis of bailliearies, stewartries or regalities 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 65.
If the justice has prevented the baillies of the regalitie [etc.](b) a1578 Pitsc. II 134/22.
Prowist, ȝe ken ȝe ar my iudge and stewart of my regalietie(4) 1573–5 Dunferm. B. Rec. in Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 35.
Buikis of the regality 1585 Reg. Privy C. III 754.
The bailiary of the said regality(5) 1425 Liber Melros 544.
Wythin oure sayd regalite of Lauwedre 1465 Wemyss Chart. 85.
Stewart of the regalite of Sanctandros to Rob of Burn, mair of the samyn 1488 Reg. Paisley 406. 1493 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 368.
The cowrt of justis of the regalite of Dunfermlyn … haldyn be Wilyam Haccat, justis deput to Patrik, Erle Bothtwell 1517–18 Reg. Privy S. I 463/1.
Landis … within the schirefdome of Edinburgh and regalite of Halyrudehous 1525 Liber Aberbr. II 445. 1558–9 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 156.
James Gordoun … balȝe of the regalitie of Tarves … replegit him to the court and prevelege of the said regalitie 1564 Dysart Gleanings 19. 1589 Douglas Corr. 241.
Throwout the hale boundis of our regallitie of Angus 1589 Glasgow B. Rec. I 144. 1590 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 26 Nov.
All lyand within the barrony of Strathillay regalyte of Kynlos & sherefdome of Banffe 1591 St. A. B. Ct. 2 June.
The stwart of [the] regalitie of Sanct Andros 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 48. 1648 Retours I Inq. Spec. Ayr (427).
The 15 shilling land … within the parochin and regality of Kilwyning 1653 Ib. II Inq. Spec. Stirling (202), etc.
Crownership of the regalitie of St. Androes 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 67.
The baronie and burgh of regalitie of Kirklistoun, maynes, kirk lands and mylne thereof(b) 1564–5 Lochwinnoch Par. 120.
[Lands] lyand within the toun of Peslay and ragalitie of the samin(c) 1613 Cranna Fraserburgh 25.
To pak and peill … vithin the bounds off the said brughe, libertie and regaletie off the same

b. Appar., put for offices of regalitie. — 1682 Fountainhall Decis. I 192.
They design to insignificate all the heritable offices in Scotland, such as regalities, bailieries, etc.

4. attrib. with court.See Willock The Jury in Scotland (St. S. 23) for some discussion. 1536 Dunferm. Reg. Ct. 141.
To the ballies deputtis of the said regalite curt 1673 Bonckle Kirk S. 43.
Taken up with the affaires of the regalitie court 1679 Cunningham Diary 112. 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 75.