Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Retrocessio(u)n, n. [Retro- and Cessioun n.² (Cf. F. rétrocession (1550 in Larousse), late 18th c. Eng. retrocession ceding (territory) back again (1796).] ‘(A writ of) reversion or restoration, directly or indirectly, of a right from the assignee to the granter’ (SND, s.v. Retrocess v.). — c1575 Balfour Pract. 448.
Gif ony man makis ane uther his assignay to ane reversioun, for redemptioun of landis, and the assignay lauchfullie intimat his assignatioun to the possessour of the landis, and thairefter mak retrocessioun of the said assignatioun to the assignant, restorand … him in the place and stait quhairin he was [etc.] 1671 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III 274.
[Ordained] to make retrocession and denude themselves of their respective rights … to the saids lands 1674 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. I 719.
Edgar …, being debtor to the said Beatrix in the sum of seven hundred merks by bond, she did assign the same to … her first husband … who did make a retrocession thereof to the said Beatrix before his death … she being thereafter retrocessed 1681 Stair Inst. iii i § 3.
Retrocessions, which are the returning back of the right assigned from the assignee to the cedent, which are also called repositions 1687 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 152.
But the defender hes caused draw ane retrocession in favours of Tindwall to his interest of Castelmilk, and ane other retrocession to his moveables