Dominus

Lat. In the civil law. Lord, master; one who has the control or property of a thing; owner; proprietor.* Domintujundi; owner of land or ground.

Inst, 2. 1. 12.

Dominus soli; owner of the soil. Bract, fol.

10.

Dominus cedifieii; owner of the building.

ImL 2. 1. 20.

Dominus materice; owner of the materials.

Id, 2. 1. 25.

Dominus litis, (q. v.); one who had the control or management of a suit. The owner or proprietor of a thing, as distinguished from him who has the usufruct, or right of using it; (qui ha Jbet proprietatem, etsi ususfructus alienus sit.) Dig, 29.

6. 1. 1.

A master or principal; one under whose direction another acts. He who appointed a procurator, a proctor or attorney, to act for him was called his dominus, or master.

Dig. 3. 8. 1. Inst. 3. 28. 1. Id. 4. 11. pr. 3. St&ry on Agency, § 3.

The word was extensively used in this sense by the old writers on the law of England; sometimes with the addition of the adjective principalis, from which the modern word principal seems to be taken. Bract, fol.

42 b, 212 b, 262, 342 b. Stat. Westm, 2, c. 10.

So in French, he who appointed an attorney to appear for him in court, was called his master, {son maister.) Theloall Dig, lib.

13, c. 15.

So, a party who sent another to essoin for him was called his dominus. Bract, fol.

337 b.