surrogating vbl n Cp OED surrogate v 3: ~ (1679). The conduct of legal hearings in coastal settlements by naval officers appointed by the governor.
1793 REEVES 154 The time of surrogating was looked forward to as a season when all wrongs were to be redressed against all oppressors; and this naval judicature was flown to by the poor inhabitants and planters. as the only refuge they had from the west country merchants.
