Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SUBALTERN, adj. Sc. Law usage, of an occupier of land or the land itself: holding or held of a Superior who is himself a Vassal of another, subinfeudated.Sc. 1722 W. Forbes Institutes I. ii. 114:
Charters granted by Subaltern Superiors, may bear a Clause of Registration.Sc. 1754 Erskine Principles ii. iii. § 5:
A vassal can sub-feu his property to a sub-vassal by a subaltern right: and so in infinitum.Sc. 1838 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. 88:
Suppose A to hold of the Crown blench, and that he subfeus his lands to B, to be held in feu . . . A's right is termed a public one; B's a base or subaltern right.Sc. 1933 Encycl. Laws Scot. XIV. 273:
As every feudal proprietor may sub-feu his lands, an indefinite number of feudal estates may be created in any one parcel of land. Superiors lower in the feudal series are, in contrast with the over-superiors, called mid-superiors or subaltern superiors, and their estates are called mid-superiorities.
