The phrase "wast subject to" is spelled as /wɑːst ˈsʌbdʒɛkt tu/. The word "wast" is an archaic form of "was" and is no longer in common usage. "Subject" is spelled with a "b" even though it is pronounced as /sʌbdʒɛkt/. The spelling of this word follows common English spelling rules for words with a silent "b". The phrase means that something was under the control or influence of something else in the past.