The term MARQUIS'S SUBORDINATE can be solved by the crossword solution EARL, which is a 4-letter word. An EARL is a British nobleman ranking below a marquis and above a viscount. Earls are usually members of the peerage and are entitled to a coronet bearing eight strawberry leaves and eight silver balls. Earls have been around since the Norman Conquest of 1066 and were originally responsible for defending their shire or county.