Comm. Obs. [Old variant spelling of SUBTLE a. retained in a technical use. Cf. AF. pois sutil.] Of weight, after tare, or tret, has been deducted.
In quot. 1695 quasi-sb. by ellipsis.
[1502–1660: see SUBTILE a. 12, SUBTLE a. 12.]
1596. Mellis, Recorde’s Gr. Artes, III. viii. 486. At 16 ll the 100 suttle, what shall 895 ll suttle be worth in giuing 4 ll weight vppon euery 100 for treate?
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 33. The diuision of the pound weight for wares, and the correspondence of the hundreth pound, compared to the 100 ll Suttle of Antuerp [cf. p. 22 Subtle].
1695. E. Hatton, Merch. Mag., 100. In such Commodities wherein Trett is allowed, the Remainer, after the Tare is deducted is called Suttle, out of which Suttle the allowance for Trett is made.
1764. C. Hutton, Syst. Pract. Arith. (1766), 72. What remains after the tare is taken from the gross, may be called tare-suttle, if there be more deductions…. What remains after tret is deducted, may be called tret-suttle, if there be any following deduction.
1812. J. Smyth, Pract. Customs (1821), 13. Suppose 20 casks of Gentian weigh 120 cwt. 2 qrs. 18 lbs. gross, how many suttle pounds will they contain?
