subpœna

subpœna (plural subpœnas or subpœnæ)

1. Archaic spelling of subpoena.
   • 1612 (date written), Tho: Overburye [i.e. Thomas Overbury], “Characters, or Witty Descriptions of the Properties of Sundry Persons. A Country Gentleman.”, in A Wife. Now the Widdow of Sir Tho: Overburye. Being a Most Exquisite and Singular Poem of the Choise of a Wife. , 4th edition, London: G Eld, for Lawrence Lisle, , published 1614, →OCLC:

     Nothing vnder a Sub-pœna can dravv him to London, and vvhen he is there, hee ſtickes faſt vppon euery Obiect, caſts his eyes avvay vppon gazing, and becomes the prey of euery cut-purſe.

   • 1644, Edw[ard] Coke, “The Court of Chancery”, in The Fourth Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England. , London: M Flesher, for W Lee, and D Pakeman, →OCLC, page 83:

     No man to be called by Privy Seal or Subpœna to anſwer any matters but ſuch as have no remedy by the Common law, and that to appear ſo by the teſtimony of two Juſtices of either Bench, and by Indenture between them and the Plaintiff, which Plaintiff ſhall always appear in proper perſon, and find ſurety by recognizance to proſecute with effect the matters of the Bill only, and to anſwer dammages if the ſame fall out againſt the Plaintiff.

   • 1818 July 25, Jedadiah Cleishbotham [pseudonym; Walter Scott], chapter VII, in Tales of My Landlord, Second Series,  (The Heart of Mid-Lothian), volume II, Edinburgh: [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Company, →OCLC, page 181:

     For the worthy magistrate, determined to omit no chance of doing Effie justice, and to leave her sister no apology for not giving the evidence which she was supposed to possess, had caused the ordinary citation, or sub-pœna, of the Scottish criminal court, to be served upon her by an officer during his conference with David.

   • 1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “Which is All about the Law, and Sundry Great Authorities Learned therein”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, , published 1837, →OCLC, pages 318–319:

     [page 318] "Samuel Weller?" said Mr. Jackson, enquiringly. "Vun o' the truest things as you've said for many a long year," replied Sam, in a most composed manner. "Here's a subpœna for you, Mr. Weller," said Jackson. […] [page 319] Mr. Jackson seemed rather puzzled by Sam's proceedings; but, as he had served the subpœnas, and had nothing more to say, he made a feint of putting on the one glove which he usually carried in his hand, for the sake of appearances; and returned to the office to report progress.

   • 1875 March 25 (first performance), W[illiam] S[chwenck] Gilbert, librettist; Arthur Sullivan, composer, Trial by Jury. A Novel and Original Dramatic Cantata, London: Walter Smith, , published 1875, →OCLC, page 3:

     For to-day in this arena, / Summoned by a stern subpœna, / Edwin, sued by Angelina— / Shortly will appear.

subpœna (third-person singular simple present subpœnas, present participle subpœnaing, simple past and past participle subpœnaed or subpœnæd)

1. Archaic spelling of subpoena.
   • 1815 January – 1817 January, William Hazlitt, “No. XXXIII. On Different Sorts of Fame.”, in William Hazlitt, Leigh Hunt, The Round Table: A Collection of Essays on Literature, Men, and Manners, volume II, Edinburgh: for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, published 1817, →OCLC, page 65:

     We wish to subpœna the public to our characters.

   • 1857, Pisistratus Caxton [pseudonym; Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “Containing Much of that Information which the Wisest Men in the World Could Not Give but which the Author Can”, in What will He Do with It? (Collection of British Authors; CCCCXL), Tauchnitz edition, volume III, Leipzig: Bernhard Tauchnitz, →OCLC, book VII, page 276:

     Poor Willy! he would not even subpœna any of his old friends as to his general character. But even if he had, what could the Court do since he pleaded guilty?

   • 1857 April 1, Herman Melville, “Renewal of Old Acquaintance”, in The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade, New York, N.Y.: Dix, Edwards & Co., , →OCLC, page 32:

     I am just reminded that the president, who is also transfer-agent, of the Black Rapids Coal Company, happens to be on board here, and, having been subpœnaed as witness in a stock case on the docket in Kentucky, has his transfer-book with him.

   • 1860, Sanford M Green, “Commencement of Actions; and Proceedings on Both Sides to the Defendant‘s Appearance, Inclusive”, in A Treatise on the Practice of the Circuit Courts of the State of Michigan; , Detroit, Mich.: S. D. Elwood, , →OCLC, § 137, page 41:

     Witnesses, duly and in good faith, subpœnaed to attend any court, officer, commissioner, auditors or referees, or summoned to attend any judge, officer, or commissioner, in any cse where there attendance may, by law, be enforced by attachment or warrant, are exonerated from arrest in any civil suit, while going to the place where they are required to attend, while remaining in attendance as such witnesses, and while returning therefrom.

   • 1875, [Mary Elizabeth Braddon], “‘What, then, You Knew Not this Red Work Indeed?’”, in A Strange World , volume I, London: John Maxwell and Co. , →OCLC, page 181:

     Mr. Elgood and his daughter were both subpœnaed for the adjourned inquest.

   • 1942 May–June, “U.S.A. Pullman Monopoly Opposed”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 130:

     The Federal Government subpœnaed over fifty witnesses, but many of these were relieved of testifying by the submission of documents.

• base upon

• IPA^(key): /syb.pe.na/

subpœna m (plural subpœnas)

1. Alternative form of subpoena
   • 1907, author uncertain, Les Rapports Judicaires de Québec‎, page 204:

     Ce Montplaisir est venu en cour, répondant à une assignation ou subpœna destiné à son père ou à son cousin.

     This Montplaisir came to court, responding to a summons or subpoena intended for his father or cousin.