SOKEMANS, Eng. law. Those who hold their land in socage. 2 Bl. Com. 100.

SOLARES, Spanish law. Lots of ground. This term is frequently found in grants from the Spanish government of lands in America. 2 White's Coll. 474.

SOLD NOTE, contracts. The name of an instrument in writing, given by a broker¹ to a buyer of merchandise, in which it is stated that the goods therein mentioned have been sold to him. 1 Bell's Com. 5th ed. 435 Story on Ag. §28. Some confusion may be found in the books as to the name of these notes; they are sometimes called bought notes. (q. v.)

SOLDIER. A military man; a private in the army.

2. The constitution of the United States, amendm. art. 3, directs that no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the 'consent of the owner; nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

SOLE. Alone, single; used in contradistinction to joint² or married. A sole tenant³, therefore, is one who holds lands in his own right, without being joined with any other. A feme sole is a single woman; a sole corporation is one composed of only one natural person.

SOLEMNITY. The formality established by law to render a contract, agreement, or other act valid⁴.

2. A marriage, for example, would not be valid if made in jest, and without solemnity. Vide Marriage, and Dig. 4, 1, 7; Id. 45, 1, 30.

SOLICITATION⁵ OF CHASTITY. The asking a person to commit adultery or fornication.

2. This of itself, is not an indictable offence. Salk. 382; 2 Chit. Pr. 478. The contrary doctrine⁶, bowever, has been held in Connecticut. 7 Conn. Rep. 267.

3. In England, the bare solicitation of chastity is punished in the ecclesiastical courts. 2 Chit. Pr. 478. Vide Str. 1100; 10 Mod. 384; Sayer, 33; 1 Hawk⁷. ch. 74; 2 Ld. Raym. 809.

4. The civil law punished arbitrarily the person who solicited⁸ the chastity of another. Dig. 47, 11, 1. Vide To persuade; 3 Phill. R. 508.

SOLICITOR⁹. A person whose business is to be employed in the care and management of suits depending in courts of chancery.

2. A solicitor, like an attorney, (q. v.) will be required to act with perfect good faith towards his clients. He must conform to the authority given him. It is said that to institute a suit he must have a special authority, although a general authority will be sufficient to defend one. The want of a written authority, may subject him to the expenses incurred¹⁰ in a suit. 3 Mer. R. 12; Hov, Fr. ch. 2, p. 28 to 61. Vide 1 Phil. Ev. 102; 19 Vin. Ab. 482; 7 Com. ]big. 357; 8 Com. Dig. 985; 2 Chit. Pr. 2. See Attorney at law; Counsellor at law; Proctor.