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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Subject, n. Also: subiect(t, subgect, subget(t, subiet, subjeck, sudject, sugect, sugget, suget(t, sougit, sowgeett, subjai. Pl. also subjecttis, subgiettes, -geccis, subg(i)eȝ, suggess. [ME and e.m.E. sugges pl. (c1315), suget (Rolle), subgit (Chaucer), soget (Wyclif), subiecte, subget (both Trevisa), sugect (1436), subjecte (1530), OF suget, sujet (c1138 and late 13th c. in Larousse), L. subject-, ppl. stem f. subicere. Cf. Subdit n.]

1. One who is under the dominion of, and owes allegiance to, a monarch, God, etc. Variously const. Also transf. and fig.(1) 1456 Hay I 246/30.
And thus ar nocht his subgectis behaldyn to obeye in that to thair lord 1456 Hay II 98/28.
To discerne betwix … soveraine and subgettis 1549 Compl. 7/16.
It vas the custum of Perse, that none of the subiectis dust cum in the presens of ther kyng 1567 Sat. P. iv 129.
Quhair Venus anis gettis in hir gouernance Sic sylit subiectis 1567 Sat. P. iv 191.
Gif rubbers ring, na subiect salbe suire 1568 Anderson Collect. Mary IV ii 54.
That we and thai may leiff under hir hienes in our calling as gude subjectis a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1655) 286.
A commissioun of lieutenandry was given to the Earl of Angus for convocating the subjects and pursuing the rebels who had usurped the Kings authority 1687 Shields Hind Let Loose 225.
Both ministers and … professors were outlawed, whereby all the subjects were prohibited to … intercommune with any of them(b) 1587 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 135.
As becwms ane dewtyfull sudjectfig. c1460 Consail Vys Man 264.
Thai ar bot seruandis to thar gud, And sugettis for thar lyvis fud(2) 1561 Reg. Privy C. I 195.
Merchandis and induellaris of … Nantes … , subjectis to the maist Cristiane King 1562-3 Winȝet I 94/25.
The prouestis and ballies of euiry burgh … ar nocht principalis in a fre citie … to mak lawis bot suld be subditis to our Souerane Lady 1572 Digest Justiciary Proc. G 52.
Conspiratouris and innobedient subiectis to our souerane lord 1574 Misc. Maitl. C. I 111.
He … obleist him … that he suld be ane trew sugget to the Kingis Majestie a1578 Pitsc. I 22/29.
Subiectt 1584 Acts III 327/1.transf. 1456 Hay I 292/30.
He said till his discipleis that thai suld be subgettis till all creature humayne(3) 1404 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 57.
The kyng of Scotland … his landes lordshippes lieges and sougit[ȝ] on that on part 1424 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 14.
Yhoure simple liegs & subgieȝ the alderman [etc.] 1456 Hay I 124/24.
As gif the king … wald mak were agaynis a baroun of his realme that is his subject and haldis his land of him 1456 Hay I 297.
Subjais 1460 Hay Alex. 4302.
Till Alexander my sugett and seruand c1460 Regim. Princ. 16 (Marchm.).
Suggess a1500 Henr. Fab. 858.
Greting to God … To brutall beistis and irrationall I [sc. the lion] send as to my subiectis grit and small c1475 Cal. Doc. IV 409.
The subgettis of the hie and michty prince the King of Scotland 1524 Buccleuch Mun. I 220.
Subgiettes 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 104.
Yowr grace maist h[u]myll sugget and servitour 1550 Reg. Privy C. I 87.
To mak were upoun the Empriouris subjects Knox Hist. 94 (Jam. (1808), s.v. Jo n.).
My joyis, my hairtis, what aillis yow? … ye ar all my luifing subjects a1578 Pitsc. II 106/18.
France wald desyre ws and our realme to be ane province or pertienent into tham as thair awin subiectis c1590 Fowler II 144/10.
Sugects 1628 Aberd. Council Lett. I 292.
Subjettes — Arundel MS 238/8.
And I knaw thé my Lord God, fathir and maker of all the warld and me thy pure creatour, subiect and seruand(4) 1490 Irland Mir. III 153/13.
To the v that sais that the prince suld first be subgett I ansuer that it is nocht necessar that he be as ane of the peple [etc.]

b. Const. of (a country, realm, etc.). 1397 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 35.
Be the men & the s[ubg]eȝ of bathe the royaum[es] 1456 Hay I 187/6.
He gerris mak tailles and imposiciouns apon all subjectes of the empire 1489 Acts II 219/1.
The said king of Denmark his realme and subgettis of the sammyn 1543 Douglas Corr. 152.
To the evident supplanting and undermynding of this cunitrey and faithfull subgettis thairof 1560 Admir. Ct. Bk. (St. S.) 141.
Johnne Quhitheid is … na subiect of this realme 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 151/5.
Haifand commiseratioun and piete of ane grit parte of the subiectis of this realme 1573 Acts III 83/2.
That nane of the subiectis of this realme … transport furth of this realme ony maner of lynning claith … [etc.] 1574 Acts III 88/2. a1578 Pitsc. I 16/34.
Subjecttis a1578 Pitsc. I 26/23.
Subiecttis 1607 Acts IV 371/1.
That all the subiectis of the realme of England … ar … enhabillit to … inhered and possess all landis [etc.] 1622-6 Bisset I 39/30.
The saidis subiectis of the said realme of Scotland sall nocht be trublit ony maner of way in the joysing of these gudis

2. One who owes allegiance to a lord; a feudal tenant, vassal. Also transf. and fig.(1) 1456 Hay II 14/29.
For and a man tak the order of knychthede, and he be villaine of his condiciouns, and wykkit of lyf, he dois grete injure to all his subjectes that he has under him in governaunce 1456 Hay II 79/33.
The said subjectis suld be lele to thair lordis c1475 Wall. iv 37.
Thocht a subiet in deid wald pas his lord, It is nocht lewyt be na rychtwis racord 1490 Irland Mir. 35/14.
The thing that inducis maist the childere and subgeccis to do honour to the Fadere and Lord is dreid and luf 1494 Loutfut MS 9b.
The baronis and the banereis suld be salust rycht nobles and mychty lordis and gif the herauldis or pursewantis be thair subiectis thai suld say my richt redoutit lord 1680 Cunningham Diary 120.
These lands of Nether Craigends, holding of a subjecttransf. ?1438 Alex. ii 5138.
The misdeid, madame, is myne, … And resoun will I duell, of det, For euir mare as ȝour subiectfig. a1500 MS Rawl. Q. b. 4 1a.
Ane feynd that is bath fel & bald Principal tempir he may be cald And the flesch & the warldis sectis … his subiectis(2) 1494 Loutfut MS 9b.
Salusand a knycht bachiller … gif the messinger be subiect he may say honorit lord

b. ? One who owes allegiance or obedience to a spiritual superior; ? a layman, as opposed to an ecclesiastical dignitary. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 3.
Quhat can be mair convenient … than that we al baith prelatis and subjeckis, superiours and inferiouris, … concord togeddir in the unite of ane catholik doctrine

3. One who is in a state of subjection (to, till another); a prisoner, slave. a1500 Lanc. 1481.
If he disples vn to the lord, he shall Be to his fais a subiet or a thrall 1490 Irland Mir. II 31/25.
This innemy [sc. Satan] was presoneir thrall and subiekt to Jhesus a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 204.
Agane with thame as subiet is he gane, Thoucht he wes sone & prince to God eterne c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 915.
Sic mischance, To be subject or seruiture Till ane quhilk takis of me na curefig. c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 3.
Thai were all in bondage and sugettis of syn

4. An item of property or goods. 1622-6 Bisset II 175/28.
The successioun of airis feimell … to the inheritance of subiectis 1642 Orkney Rentals iv 31.
The names beis changed because of the change of the subjects the one being victuall dewty, the oth[i]r called fat good

5. A subject of discourse; a topic, theme. 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 35/309.
Albeit this subiect seame a barren ground [etc.] 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 68/58.
With my opinioun for quhat subiectis ilk kynde of thir verse is meitest to be vsit 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 77/7, 9.
As for comparisons take heid … that nather they be ouer bas gif ȝour subiect be heich … nather ȝour comparisoun be heich quhen ȝour subiect is basse 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 79/4.
Bot sen inuention is ane of the cheif vertewis in a poete it is best that ȝe inuent ȝour awin subiect 1586 Rait & Cameron King James's Secret 90.
Sowgeett c1590 Fowler I 303.
Titillis of bookes ar occasioned … through the materiall subiect quhairof thay intreat, as Virgill his Ænead, … Plato his republict [etc.] 1587-99 Hume 6/5.
That naughtie subject of fleshly and vnlawfull loue 1644 Argyll Synod I 89.
In the judgeing of their [sc. ministers'] qualifications and the abilities which they kyth upon the subjects aftermentionat 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. i xxx 1 (1678) 303.
Injury as it is the subject of this title, is the same thing with contumely or reproach

b. Subject-matter, material. c1590 Fowler II 163/30.
In Italye na aspyring prence sal want subiect and inlaik mater to introduce sic constitutions 1596 Anal. Scot. I 375.
The rareness of my writing to youre majestie hiertofoir has bene the laik of subject