Sc. Obs. Also 5–6 souerte, 6 -tee, -tie, souirte, 6–7 sovertie. [Cf. SOVER a. and SURETY.]
1. Surety.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, III. 414. A herald … chargyt him tak souerte of Wallas, [that] He suld him kepe fra merket toune or fair.
1501. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., II. 116. Giffin to Ternway pursewant passand with lettrez to tak souertee of the Lord Cathkerth,… xiiij s.
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 4731. Thare it moste remane ane quhyle, Tyll thay gett sufficient souerte For thare kirk rycht and dewite.
1651. D. Calderwood, Hist. Kirk (1843), II. 230. Patrik Cranstoun and Andrew Armestrang were summouned to find sovertie to underly the law.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., II. (1699), 235. Six days being by-past, and the Soverty not being found.
1752. J. Louthian, Form of Process (ed. 2), 86. That he come and find the said Caution and Soverty, acted in Manner foresaid.
2. A person who becomes surety.
1517. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., V. 98. Item,… to Eicht, messinger, to ryd agane to Coldinghame, Duns, and Laudar, to cers and sek George Howme with souerties undir payne of hornyng.
1566. Mary Q. Scots, in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., 609/2. The souirties ye knaw mon be Lawland men and not of the gretast of our nobilitie.
1580. Excheq. Rolls Scot., XXI. 543. Mathow Stewart … as cautioner and sovertie for Johne Cuninghame.
