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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Regres, n. Also: regress(e, regris. [e.m.E. regresse (1477), -gress (c1590) a going back, med. L. regressus in senses 1–4 below (Du Cange), f. L. regredī to go back.]

1. The act of going or coming back to (in) a place; a return. b. The right of passage back (to one's property); access. a1400 Leg. S. xxi 629.
Fra he had to Rome regresse [L. venisset], & wyst the tyme cumyne was [etc.] 1507 Reg. Privy S. I 219/1.
Be fourty dais efter his regres and ganecuming in this sammyn [realm] 1528 Crail Ch. Reg. 53.
With fre ingres and regres to the wayr and fra the wayr 1528 Dunferm. B. Rec. I 278.
It salbe lefull to the said Johne … to haif ful ingres and regres to the forhous and bakhous as he had of befor the alienacione 1564 Perth B. Ct. 88 (20 May).
The said Johnne Neving aucht & suld haif intres regres and ingres throw the ȝet to his ȝard 1632 Lithgow Trav. x 482.
A perpetuall current flowing from the ocean to the Mediterrene Sea without any regresse c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 31.
And so at the regress of the surges, they come safely through

c. To haf regres, to have access, or right of appeal (to a court of law). 1490 Acta Aud. 142/1.
Than in that kais it sal be leichefule to the said partijs to haf regres again to the law c1500 Barounis Lawis fol. 8.
Gif the party followand gettis na full resoune in that court quhair he is borrowit to he sall haif regres agane to the first court 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 210.
Aye and quhill I may peaceable have aggres and regres for defence of the said accion

2. Re-entry into (in, to (till), also in and to) possession of lands, also to enjoyment of payments or property.For further examples, see Ingres n.¹ 1.A letter of regres, a document in which a person's right of re-entry is set forth.(1) 1444 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV 194.
Gyffe … in ony tyme to cum … the kyng … take the forsaide landis … fra the saide Robert … it sale be lefule to the saide Schir Alexander … to have regres and free entra to his landis … bute … ony impedyment 1465 Buccleuch Mun. II 67.
Til haf ful regres in and to the said landis foroutyn ony processe of law 1475 Lennox Mun. 105.
Quhat tyme … sa mekel as hapnis to be wnrun of the tak … , I sall haf full regres to my sayd lands 1480 Macleod P. MS (Reg. H.).
The saide William … sall haf fre regres agane to the saide nether watter 1489 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 546.
Fre regres in and to propirty and possession of the saidis landis and toure 1500 Ib. No. 633.
And gif the said vicar refus and wil nocht resaue the said sowm than the said Dauid sal haue regressis to the said landis 1501 Acta Conc. III 32.
[He] askit ane instrument that he micht haf regres til the landis of Burneturk, gif it happinnit him til get … ane reversioun of the sadis landis as aire and assignay 1518–19 Acta Conc. Publ. Aff. 137.
He may haif full regres tharto quhen evir he ples to call or challandis tharfor 1521 Boyd Fam. P. No. 3 (3 Nov.). 1585 Douglas Bequest 4 March.
Full and frie regres and ingres … in and to … the said landis of Eister Saltoun 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Recognition. — 1581 Douglas Bequest 91/10 p. 64.
The said Alexander … to haif full and frie regres and ingres in and to the heretabill rycht … of the saidis landis(2) 1476 Acta Aud. 54/1.
Scho to haue regres to the said soume … efter the forme of the said obligatione 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxiv.
The said Thomas sall … have regres to the malis bigane, … and remain thairwith quhil it be redemit 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 300/1.
The said M. Walter sall haf full regres in and to his said pensioun 1539–40 Reg. Privy S. II 510/2.
Havand regres and reservatioun of the frutis of the said personage to me 1557–8 Bk. Carlaverock II 479.
Fre regres and ingres to the males of the samin landis 1561 Inverness Rec. I 57.
That we and our successoris prowest balyes of the bruch of Innernes and consell of the same sall haue fre regresse and ingresse agane to all amerciamenttis vnlaws and eschettis 1589 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis 30 April.
To haif regres & ingres to all his guddis & gere 1611 Edinb. Test. XLVI 278.
In that cais the said Johonne … sall have frie regres and ingres in and to all and quhatsumeuir benefeit that he may acclame 1657 Argyll Synod II 157.
And the presbyterie of Lorne to have regresse to ther … anual rent — 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 463.
Fre intre and regres to the saide annuell togidder with the forsaid landis 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxvii.
Thomas Blak sall have regres and interes to all gudis and landis … as are to him insafer as law will(3) 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxvii.
Gif the said Laurence has ony sufficient defeisance he sal have regres agane as efferis 1544 Reg. Privy S. III 153/2.
With regres and acces and reservatioun of all frutis [etc.] 1613 Orkney & Shetl. Ct. Bk. (ed.) 62.
But ony maner of reversioun, redemptioun or regres quhatsumever c1630 Hope Minor Pract. (1726) 69.
Where lands are disponed in wadset under reversion … there is a necessity of regress to be granted by the superior to the vassal 1632 Cullen B. Rec. 6 June.
Ane heretable band … of the saidis croftis of land … to ane noble and potent lord … but regres 1665 Irvine Deeds 14 Aug.
[Disponing the tenement] without reversione ridemptione or regress 1681 Stair Inst. i xiv §1.
That without necessity to instruct … he who craves regress had right when he changed any further than by the narrative of the excambion 1696 Rothesay B. Rec. 504.
Heretably and irredeemably but any maner of reversion redemption or regres quhatsomever(4) 1481 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II 331.
And als the saide Williame … sall upteyn the lettres of regres of the our lorde quhat sa he be 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 349.
Ane letter of regres till the sade Margret of the kingis hienes 1516 Reg. Privy S. I 429/1.
Ane lettre of regres made to … [etc.] of all and hale the superiorite of … the forest of Boyne 1531–9 St. A. Formulare II 101.
Thir our letters of regres 1540 Acts II 383/1.
His grace … reuokis cassis and annullis the saidis lettres of regres 1562 Reg. Privy S. V i 285/2.
That the saidis reversioun and lettir of regres suld on na wise be usit c1575 Balfour Pract. 651.
Landis … annalȝeit to be haldin of the king, quhairupon letteris of regres are direct furth of the chancellarie 1611 Scrymgeour Invent. 2.
Ane letter of regres grantit … in favouris of James Scrymgeour … upoun the alienatioun of the landis of Balrudie c1630 Hope Minor Pract. (1726) 69.
If the king or any other superior give a letter of regress [etc.] … the user of the redemption is immediately seased, upon the sight of the regress

b. = A letter of regres, see (4) above. 1511–12 Reg. Privy S. I 357/2.
A regres maid to Peter Petblado … apoun the landis … of Kilmaroun analyt be him 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Reversion.
Ane regresse is giuen bee the superiour of landes to the annalier thereof quhairby hee promisis to receiue againe him, or his aires to be his vassalles, as they were of before, quhen it sall happen onye of them to redeeme the saidis landes 1604 Reg. Privy C. VI 593.
All laweris, writteris [etc.] … quha sal happin to wrytt … ony instruments of seasingis, reversionis … or regressis [etc.] c1630 Hope Minor Pract. (1726) 69 (see (4) above).

3. To haf regres (to, also aganis, a person), to have the right to seek monetary compensation by process of law; to obtain compensation for (of, to) losses.To make regres, to pay compensation. Cf. Redres n. 1, with which there may here (also perh. in the quot. from Acta Conc. II under (3) below) be confusion.(1) 1467 Acta Aud. 6/2.
And gif the said Johne has pait the said malis of before to ony vther, he to haf regres to tha persouns as law wil 1471 Ib. 10/1.
Robert to haue regres again to oure souuerain lord gif he has gevin him [sc. Walter] ony mare soume than was awand to his hienes 1479 Ib. 94/2.
Becaus the said Henry allegeit he had writtinge … quharthrou … he mycht saufly intromet with the said gudis that he haf regres to him insafer as law will 1482–3 Acta Conc. II cxxiii.
And he to have regres to the said George Robisoun anent the clame that he hes to him — c1575 Balfour Pract. 191.
Thay aucht and sould have regres aganis the said principal debtour, his landis and gudis, for thair releif(2) 1522 Dundee B. Ct. I fol. 85b (31 March).
The said Andro protestis that he ma haf regres to the skath sustenit be hym Ib. fol. 112b (21 Nov.).
The said Wilȝam protestit that he ma haf regris & relef of his pertineris 1572 Bk. Dunvegan 35.
Sen the lawes alwayes permittis the evill handillit innocentis to haif regres(3) 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 60.
Jhone, Erle of Mortoune, protestit that … it suld turne him to na prejudice … that he micht haf full regres of law tharapoune(4) 1571–2 Lanark B. Rec. 65.
Gef ony victuell beis … tinsallet in the millar defalt … the said David sall mak regres thairof again

4. To mak (one's) regres, ? to return, re-enter. Cf. senses 1 and 3 (4) above. a1570-86 Dunb. Reidpeth MS 46/26.
Nemlie at this Chrystis mes Quhareuir Schir Gold maid his regres Of him I will no larges cry He ȝeid fra me till vtheris by

5. Part of a responsory which is repeated at the end of a verse. a1400 Leg. S. xxii 797.
The thred [privilege] is … he [sc. Laurence] has regres In antemys Ib. 803.
& Paule regres has that wyse In his antemys as resone is For he in preching al the laf Excedyt

6. fig. Return (to a previous state or condition); the ability to make such a return. 1513 Doug. xi viii 89.
For that … forton hes na return ne regres Lat ws beseik for paix at sik distres 1535 Stewart 22295.
Rome … may neuir regres haif to sic gloir In to oure tyme as that it had befoir 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 117.
Man … without any hope of regres left in his saull, without any sense of the recoverie of that former estate 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
What we once annex to the crowne of Christs kingdome, the vnion is so indissoluble, that neyther prescription of tyme [etc.] … can giue a regresse a1651 Calderwood I 541.
Place sould be granted to her of regresse to the same honours