Forms: 5–7 sollicitour, 6–7 -or; 5 solicy-, 5–6 solyci-, 6 solysy-, 5–7 solicitour (6 -oure), 6 solisitor, 6– solicitor. [ad. OF. sol-, solliciteur (mod.F. solliciteur), f. solliciter SOLICIT v.: see -OR.]
† 1. One who urges, prompts or instigates. Obs.
1412–20. Lydg., Troy Book, I. 3797. And of þis Iourne chefe solicytour Was Hercules, þe worthi conquerour.
1540–1. Elyot, Image Gov. (1556), 56. Solicitours and furtherers of dishonest appetitis.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (Camden), 254. One that was the chief incenser and solicitor of the first divorce.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXIV. xxxv. 533. No bad sollicitor by word of mouth to further & follow the cause.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., vi. (1738), 144. Promoters or instruments of injustice and wickedness; such as … solicitors in vice.
† b. A thing serving to instigate, etc. Obs.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 265. For ioy and hope … were bestowed vpon him to bee spurres and sollicitours to induce him to seeke after God.
1607. Scholast. Disc. agst. Antichrist, II. vi. 41. It hath been vsed from time to time, as an agent & a sollicitor to arme the people of the earth, against their lawfull Lords.
1699. Atterbury, Serm., vii. (1737), IV. 203. We usually blame the body to an high degree, as … the sollicitor to every evil act, all that defiles the man.
1751. Affecting Narr. H. M. S. ‘Wager,’ 104. Extreme Hunger and Thirst which were our Sollicitors at this Time, will prompt one to the most desperate Undertakings.
† 2. One who conducts, negotiates or transacts matters on behalf of another or others; a representative, agent or deputy. Obs.
c. 1425. Lydg., Assemb. Gods, 912. Hooly heremytes, goddes solycitours, Monasteriall monkes [etc.].
a. 1513. Fabyan, Chron., V. (1811), 73. The whiche Paterne had ben solicitour for ye Frenshe Kyng in the foresayd matier.
1546. Langley, trans. Pol. Verg. de Invent., VIII. ii. 169 b. Pius the seconde … instituted the newe collage of Solicitours, and proctours, by whose counsaill and aduise all bulles and grauntes were made ratified.
1638. R. Baker, trans. Balzac’s Lett. (vol. II.), 35. I come not therefore as his Solicitour but as his bare witnesse.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., IX. 203. The principall pillars of the Presbyterian party … applied themselves by their secret solicitors to James King of Scotland.
1702. W. J., trans. Bruyn’s Voy. Levant, lv. 216. Next to him is the Father Sollicitor, who ought to be a Spaniard born.
1741. C. Middleton, Cicero, I. V. (ed. 2), 388. His principal Agents and Sollicitors at Rome were his Brother Quintus [etc.].
† b. spec. An official having charge of the King’s or Queen’s interests. Obs.
1460. Rolls of Parlt., V. 388/1. The Sollicitours for the Quene mad leve of C li. Ibid. (1503), VI. 536. Thomas Lucas, the Kyngs Solisitor.
1555. N. C. Wills (Surtees, 1908), 235. Mr. … Cordall, our soveraign Ladie the Quenes Sollicitor.
1608. Chapman, Duke of Byron, V. ii. Where the Kings chiefe Solicitor hath said, There was in France no man that euer liu’d, Whose parts were worth my imitation.
3. One properly qualified and formally admitted to practise as a law-agent in any court; formerly, one practising in a court of equity, as distinguished from an attorney.
The rise of solicitors as a class of legal practitioners, and the gradual recognition and definition of their status, are illustrated by the first group of quotations. For the Scottish usage see Bell Dict. Law Scot. s.v.
(a) a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng., II. i. (1589), 44. Solicitors are such, as being learned in the lawes, and informed of their masters cause, doe informe and instruct the Counsellors in the same.
1598. Barckley, Felic. Man (1631), 398. After that sollicitors were suffered in the middest of them all, to be as it were the skum gatherers of suites.
1653. [F. Philips], Consid. touching Ct. Chancery, 18. Sollicitors (a race of people was not allowed or heard of in the Law about 100 years agoe).
1681. Trial of S. Colledge, 6. I know not but he may be criminal that brought you those Papers: for we allow no Sollicitors in cases of Treason.
1729. Act 2 Geo. II., c. 23 § 3. (An Act for the better Regulation of Attornies and Solicitors). No Person … shall be permitted to act as a Solicitor … unless such Person … be admitted and inrolled … in such of the said Courts of Equity, where he shall act as Solicitor.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., III. 26. To practice in the court of chancery it is also necessary to be admitted a solicitor therein.
1835. Penny Cycl., III. 66/1. A solicitor in any court of equity at Westminster may be sworn, admitted, and enrolled an attorney of his Majesty’s courts of law.
1843. Act 6 & 7 Vict., c. 73 § 21. Be it enacted, That … there shall be a Registrar of Attornies and Solicitors.
1873. [see ATTORNEY sb.1 3].
(b) 1584. Lodge, Alarum, B ij. They finde out … some olde soaking vndermining Solicitour.
1654. Fuller, Two Serm., 76. Let Diligent Attorneyes so faithfully solicite, let painefull Solicitours so honestly Agitate [etc.].
1679. Est. Test, 27. I have heard a … famous Lawyer say, he thought he was one of the ablest Solicitors in England.
1721. De Foe, Moll Flanders (1722), 262. Had she employ’d a petty Fogging hedge Solicitor,… I should have brought it to but little.
1798. Charlotte Smith, Yng. Philos., III. 58. Sir Appulby … found it convenient to suppose I was willing to await his reference to his solicitor.
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ii. The solicitors’ wives, and the wine-merchant’s wife, headed another grade.
1858. Lytton, What will He do? II. xii. I will direct my solicitor to take the right steps to do so.
1897. ‘Olive P. Rayner’ (Grant Allen), Type-writer Girl, ii. 25. He was … obviously wealthy, though ’twas a third-rate solicitor’s.
fig. 1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet. More fit for one who had deserved to be Attorney Generall to Nature, then for me, the meanest Sollicitor in her Court.
attrib. 1896. Pall Mall Gaz., 23 Jan., 10/2. Solicitor and client costs will be enforced in all cases.
b. Solicitor-General, a law-officer (in England ranking next to the Attorney-General, in Scotland to the Lord-Advocate), who takes the part of the state or crown in suits affecting the public interest.
In the earliest example perhaps with less specific meaning (cf. 2 b above).
1533–4. Act 25 Hen. VIII., c. 16 § 2. The Kinges generall attorney, and generall Solicitour, which for the time is.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. § 96. He was Recorder of London, Solicitor-General, and King’s Attorney, before he was forty years of age.
1710. J. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Gt. Brit., 576. The Queen’s Serjeants at Law…. Sollicitor-General, Robert Eyre, Esq.
1747. Gentl. Mag., XVII. 116/1. Upon this the sollicitor general was heard in reply.
1812. Examiner, 13 Dec., 786/1. That ‘line of defence,’ at which the Solicitor General expressed such anticipating alarm.
1848. W. K. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s Hist. Ten Y., II. 321. The solicitor-general, M. Martin du Nord, began to prepare an indictment.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U. S., IV. xlvi. 217. [He] leased his eloquence to the government for the office of solicitor-general.
4. One who entreats, requests or petitions; one who solicits or begs favors; a pleader, intercessor, advocate.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utopia (1895), 18. An euell tale well tolde nedeth none other sollicitour.
1635. Jackson, Creed, VIII. xiv. 165. That hee might bee a faithful Solicitor to his Almighty Father for aid and succour unto all that are beset with them.
1673. True Notion Worship of God, 32. It demonstrates the greatest Veneration for God in those that are earnest Solicitours at his Throne.
1720. Swift, Fates of Clergymen, Wks. 1755, II. II. 26. His sister was waiting-woman to a lady, and so good a sollicitor, that by her means he was admitted to read prayers in the family.
1752. Hume, Ess. & Treat. (1777), II. 417–8. The LACEDEMONIANS, says XENOPHON, always, during war, put up their petitions very early in the morning, in order … by being the first solicitors, to pre-engage the gods in their favour.
1860. Smiles, Self-Help, x. 279. The passion for salaries and Government employment … makes a whole people a mere crowd of servile solicitors for place.
1883. Ld. Rosebery, Speech at Edin., 21 July. The brazen solicitor who will not take No for an answer.
transf. 1670. Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 110. Besides the Devil, he shall have sollicitors enough.
b. With possessive pron., etc., denoting the person on whose behalf the solicitation is made.
1604. Shaks., Oth., III. iii. 27. Therefore be merry Cassio, For thy Solicitor shall rather dye, Then giue thy cause away.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 86. When Ctesiphons wicked sollicitors saw their labour lost with Heraclee, they then addressed themselves to the mother.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Rom. Hist. (1827), II. 218. Whenever the young lords had any favour to ask of the king, Cyrus was their solicitor.
c. transf. Of things.
1579. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 61. Lett this ilfavorid letter suffize for a dutifull solicitor and remembrer in that behaulfe.
1608. D. T[uvill], Ess. Pol. & Mor., 48 a–b. The beautie, and fairenesse of his eyes … were the principall, and chiefe Solicitors of her affections towards him.
1661. Morgan, Sph. Gentry, I. v. 56. Beauty, and Harmony…, being prevailing solicitors for the obteining love and affection.
† 5. One who, or that which, draws on or entices. Obs.
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. vii. § 3. Appetite is the wills sollicitor, and the will is appetites controller.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 22. This voyage, whereunto his owne courage was a sufficient sollicitor.
1655. R. Younge, Agst. Drunkards, 18. He that will be drawn to the Tavern or Alehouse by every idle solicitor…. He … is a Drunkard in Solomon’s esteem.
† 6. ? A recruiting officer. Obs.–1
1698–9. in R. Steele, Tudor & Stuart Procl. (1910), I. 508/2. 1st Regiment of Foot Guards:… 2 quartermasters, a solicitor, a drum-major [etc.].
