Also 6 -acion, subborn-, 7 subernation. [ad. L. subornātio, -ōnem, n. of action f. subornāre to SUBORN. Cf. F. subornation, It. subornazione, etc.]
1. The act of inducing or procuring a person to commit an evil action, by bribery, corruption, or the like; an instance of this. Also, † underhand as action.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. VII., 47 b. He by his crafty subornacions had persuaded diuerse … to beleue … that he was the same verey person.
1579–80. North, Plutarch, Solon (1595), 99. Those that were compassed … by suboration at length to do a thing against their will.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 225. By the subernation of the viceroy of Algier he was murdred in his tent by certain Turks.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, III. III. 304. Without Bribery, or Subornation, he had attain’d to the dignity of the Purple.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time (1724), I. 510. He protested … that he knew of no subornation in all that matter.
1842. De Quincey, Cicero, Wks. 1857, VII. 187. The sort of chicanery attending his subornation of managers in the Leibnitz controversy.
1853. Grote, Greece, II. lxxxvi. XI. 291. By the hands of assassins and the treacherous subornation of his mother Eurydike.
2. The act of procuring a person to give false evidence. Also, an instance of this.
1523. More, Dyaloge, III. Wks. 211/2. For fere of subornacion & false instruction of witnesse.
1590. Greene, Never too Late (1600), 82. Hee hath produced this younge man by a sinister subornation to periure himselfe.
1659. Gentl. Calling, 420. If a witness prove a better pennyworth than the Judge, subornation shall do the business.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Rand., xxxi. (1760), I. 241, chapter-heading. I discover a subornation against me, by means of a quarrel between two of the evidences.
1792. Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 74. A perjury as bloody as that of Oates and Bedlow;—a subornation as audacious.
1847. G. P. R. James, Convict, xli. This is something like a subornation of witnesses.
b. Subornation of perjury: the act of procuring a witness on oath to commit perjury.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Logike, I. xix. 67. If any of them [i.e., jurors] bee discredited by Law as by attainder in conspiracy … subornation of perjury, or such like.
1678. Marvell, Growth Popery, Wks. (Grosart), IV. 333. For subornation of perjury, tending to the defamation of his Majesty.
1765–8. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., IV. iv. § 75. Subornation of perjury consists in tampering with those who are to swear in judgement, by soliciting or directing them how they are to depose, without regard to truth.
1797. Jacob’s Law Dict. (ed. 10), s.v. Perjury, If the person incited to take such oath do not actually take it, the person by whom he was so incited is not guilty of subornation.
1911. Act 1 & 2 Geo. V., c. 6 § 8. Any offence punishable as perjury or as subornation of perjury.
transf. 1858. Merivale, Rom. Emp., liv. (1865), VI. 405. A cheap subornation of flattery.
† c. A statement corruptly obtained. Obs. rare.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., VII. viii. § 4. The King perceived that this pretended story was a subornation derived from Joab, and was of his contrivance.
† 3. The action of bringing a person to one’s assistance or support. Obs.
1600. Sir W. Cornwallis, Ess., II. xlvi. Mm 4 b. Her [sc. Virtue’s] counsels shall bee held so sincere, as they shall be accepted without the subornation of the nimph Egeria.
