Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†LIEGE POUSTIE, n.comb. Sc. Law: the state of being in full possession of one's faculties and so capable of transacting one's own affairs, sound in mind and body (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 224, 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 51, obs.). Also used in non-legal contexts. Cf. Potestater. [′lidʒ ′pusti]Sc. 1722 W. Forbes Institute I. iii. 88:
It is relevant to reply to the Second Qualification of liege poustie, … that his Sickness so affected him at the Time of doing the Deed quarrelled, that he was not of sound Judgment and Understanding.Sc. 1773 Erskine Institute iii. viii. § 95:
The term properly opposed to death-bed is liege poustie, by which is understood a state of health; and it gets that name, because persons in health have the legitima potestas, or lawful power of disposing of their property at pleasure.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 595:
The tests of liege poustie opposed to the presumption of deathbed are, survivance during sixty days, and going to kirk or market unsupported.Sc. 1851 G. Outram Lyrics (1874) 40:
That she had not disponed in liege poustie was plain.Sc. 1896 W. K. Morton Manual 392:
The proprietor of heritage has absolute power of testamentary disposal of his estate, and can defeat his heir's hopes of succession by exercising it. Until 1871 this power was qualified in so far that it required to be exercised while in liege poustie.Abd. 1914:
As keen as fan she wis in her liege poustie.
