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.
Quotation dates: 1722-1754, 1838, 1933
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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.
