Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
DONATORY, -ARY, n. Sc. law: “the person to whom the Crown makes a gift, as of escheat, ultimus haeres, or the like” (Sc. 1890 Bell Dict. Law Scot. 344; 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 30); Eng. donee.Sc. 1754 J. Erskine Princ. Law Scot. iii. x. 3:
The superior cannot be deprived of his right of superiority by the king's succession as ultimus haeres, and so remains still superior: nay, the sovereign cannot continue to hold the property thus acquired by him, since he cannot be vassal to any of his subjects; he lies therefore under the necessity of naming a donatary, who in order to complete his title, must first obtain a decree of declarator of his gift.Sc. 1781 Faculty Decis. (1781–87) 20:
At the instance of the crown's donatary and grantee.Sc. 1868 D. Gorrie Orkneys 122:
One of the ravenous race of crown donataries.
