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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
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Successioun, n. Also: successioune, -ion(e, -iowne, -youn, -yown(e, sucessioun, suk-, suicksessioun. [ME and e.m.E. succession (a1325), successyoun (Wyclif), successioun (Trevisa), OF succession (1200 in Larousse), L. successiōn-.]For many further examples see 1681 Stair Inst. Index, s.v. Succession.

1. The transmission of royal or other inherited power to succeeding generations. 1375 Barb. i 57.
Thai said, successioun of kyngrik Was nocht to lawer feys lik 1400–1 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 48.
Saufand the successyoun of lyne gyf it hapnis to faylȝe of the forsayd Robert or his airis c1420 Wynt. i 1380.
Off [the] Peychtys … nowthir remanande ar langage, Na [yit] successyown off lynage 1456 Hay I 214/19.
In the tyme that the empyre passit be successioun of lygne a1500 Seven S. 114.
Lord it is our desyre For the successioun of ȝour empyre That ȝe wald wed a far lady

2. The process by which one person succeeds another in an estate, royal dignity, etc.; the act or fact of succeeding. Variously const.See also Heritabil(l adj. 2 (a) and Lineal(l adj. 1.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 1768.
Gyve ony conwentyown Wes trettyd off successyowne … Betwene hym and Edmwnd Irnesyde c1420 Wynt. viii 342.
Yhe ar noucht nerrast to the crown, Na to the rycht off successyown 14.. Burgh Laws c. 12 (B).
Of succession of a burges ayre 1456 Hay I 255/28.
As to the successioun that the pape has maid with the consent of the Quene Jownelle 1490 Irland Mir. III 149/7.
A persoune may cum to a realme be sempill & pur successioun as to ane vthir heretage 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 23.
Sic ane husband as … wald desir the first degre of successioun to his awin blude 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 27/33.
To proue the kirk … to haue continuall successioun of lauchfull pastours and doctouris c1575 Balfour Pract. 558. c1575 Balfour Pract. 645.
To this breve of successioun thair ar twa maneris of retouris … the ane general, the uther special 1596 Dalr. I 297/24.
He depriues the law laitlie sett furth … of successioune c1615 Chron. Kings 6.
Suicksessioun(2) 1533 Boece 187.
That the successioun of Athircon … had faltit na thing contrare the kinrik 1535 Stewart 47062.
Of King Williame the successioun did faill, … bayth of famell and maill 1549 Compl. 129/18.
I meruel of the vanete of my tua brethir that … professis them gentil men be successione of ther predecessouris(3) c1420 Wynt. viii 270.
Quha suld have that successyown, In Frawns to the presydentis And lordis off the parlementis a1500 Seven S. 638.
His son that to the crovne Had apperand successioun 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i 31.
Als meikill of his lands, halden in frie soccage as the samine sonne will get and receaue, be reason of succession (to his father) 1622-6 Bisset II 175/27.
The successioun of airis feimell … to the inheritance of subiectis 1681 Stair Inst. iiiiv § 1.
Succession to defuncts is the most important title in law; for thereby the rights of all persons do necessarily pass once, and frequently oftener, in every generation

b. Be (by) or in succession, according to the usual rules of succession. c1420 Wynt. ii 219.
Gentyle … come noucht discendand lynealy Fra Jacob be successiowne c1420 Wynt. vii 412.
The barnetyme off that get That Malcolme had off Saynt Margret Togyddyr drw full unyowne To pas syne in successyowne 1490 Irland Mir. III 144/12.
Arestotill argonys that it is nocht conuenient that the realme and crovne discend be heretage and naturall successioun for it may … cum that the airis … of the king be nocht proffitable na conuenient for the realme or pepil 1490 Irland Mir. III 153/2.
The tother that sais that thai wauld neuir be chosin ane sa inutil, as he that may cum be successioun 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 236.
By long continwed succession in one familie

c. A particular line or order of succession. 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II 575.
By the quhilk legue the said erlis … sould … fortifie ilk ane uther in the successioun 1570 Misc. Bann. C. I 50.
I wait nocht quhy ye suld cast away yourself for conquessing of kyndomis to the quenis successioun 1581 Burne Disput. 97.
In the bibliothec of the Duke of Florence, quhair thair is auld vryttin bukes of the succession of the paipis

3. (The) right or privilege of succeeding to (in) an inheritance. 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 53.
May gif ner the les fader til ilkane of his sonnis of his fre sokagis in his lif how mekill of successioune ilkane of thaim is to folow of the samyn heretagis 1583 Reg. Privy C. III 568.
To denude him of his heretage and rychteous successioun dew to him as eldest sone 1681 Stair Inst. i i § 15.
For the most part the heritage, and succession in the whole land-rights, belongs to the eldest son

b. specif. The right or opportunity to succeed to a vacant bishopric. 1676 Dunkeld Presb. I 177 n.
The Bishoprick of Dunkell I hope is not yet voide, but when it shalbe, I intreat you may not offer the succession to any untill you hear from me

4. Successors or descendants, collectively; issue, progeny; young (of an animal), the line of succession.(1) c1420 Wynt. i Prol. 102.
How, eftyr thare creatioune, Men grewe in tyll successyowne a1500 Henr. Fab. 806 (Bann.).
Off wrangus get cummys wrang successioun a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 151 (Asl.).
Realmes & lordschippis oft as men may se Confiskit ar fra ald successioun a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 389.
That successione is hardy, wyse and wycht, And hes na thing ado now wyth the devile 1513 Doug. Comm. i v 81.
His dochtir, … consecrat a nun onto the goddes Vesta, to that effect scho suld haf na succession 1513 Doug. vi xiii 5. 1531 Bell. Boece I 11.
Becaus thay knew al pepil but successioun abill to perische, thay send thair ambassatouris to the Scottis, desiring to have thair dochteris in mariage 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 35.
Bot quhair was thy [sc. Nature's] discretion That leit hir pas, til we had sene succession? 1540 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 220.
For ane kowe that Volle Scot pleis of with the successioun 1550 Douglas Chart. 244.
This ȝungast sister had na suksessioun a1570-86 Maitl. F. 28/32.
To the grit God mak intercessioun To send our princes gude successioun 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 506.
When as he perceaved that ther wes no lawful or legittemat succession descended from his father(2) c1420 Wynt. i 258.
Off Kayniys generatioune, Na off thar successyowne a1500 Henr. Fab. 2673.
Quhen that the father offendis I will cheris nane off his successioun 1482 Edinb. Chart. 147.
To the quhilk payment … we bind and oblis ws … oure airis, successione, executouris [etc.] 1490 Irland Mir. I 107/3.
And becaus of this, the fader of hevin had ressonabile caus of ire and indignacioune agane all thar successioune c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) xvii 18.
Be thair successioun ȝe may see That ill-won geir riches not the kin c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxxvii 30.
Gret Gode ws graunt that we have long desirit, A plaunt to spring of thi successioun, Syne with all grace his spreit to be inspirit 1513 Doug. iv xi 81.
Ȝon clan, with thar successioun and kynrayd 1513 Doug. xiii x 72 (Ruddim.).
Sucessioun 1533 Boece 36b.
Thareeftir fra Iber descendit lang successioun of his nevois regnand abone the Spanȝeartis 1550 Breadalbane Doc. No. 77.
The saidis William, Malcum, and Donald, thair barnis and successioun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 525.
Quhow Adam brak the Lordis command, And quhow … War punyst his successioun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3622.
Carione … Quhose successioun did indure Tyll the tent Kyng a1570-86 Maitland in Maitl. F. 326/2.
Giff thou desyre thi hous lang stand And thi successioun brouke thi land 1623 Edinb. Test. LI 333b.
He … levis … to the said Marioune his tua ky with thair successioun 1622-6 Bisset I 7/30.
Quhilk [name] … his successioun, will bruik and juoyse contrare the invy … of all his innimies(3) a1500 Seven S. 1025.
His frendis … To mary gaif him sic counsall To haf successioun of his seid 1579, 1617 Despauter (1579).
Soboles, successioun of children(4) 1533 Bell. Livy I 17/13.
His purpois was that … the successioun of hir body suld aluterly expire 1558-66 Knox II 330.
Till that lauchfull successioun should be sein of the Quenis body a1578 Pitsc. I 362/25.
They war certiffieit be the doctouris medicianaris that no successioun wald come of hir body 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I 88.
Thair is na memorie of the said James, successioun of his bodie, nor of thair geir

5. The action of one thing following another; a sequence or order of events. c1420 Wynt. vi 244.
That per ordyr thai abbayis Mycht be kend in [thar] fundatyowne, Ilk ane be thare successyowne a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 422 (Asl.).
To auld the new succedis be ordinance So in thair kynd gois manly successioun Now seike, now hale, now glad, now in grevans

6. The course or passage of time. 1456 Hay I 229/11.
The successioun of tyme may never mak it rycht 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 154/40.
The apostlis and thair disciplis … be successioun of tyme maid certane oratiouns 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 161/1.
Quhasumeuir will vse ony vther cerimoniis … hes obseruit evir be perpetuall successioun of tyme … thai ar worthy to be cryit out on 1561 Q. Kennedy Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 173/27.
Be perpetuall successioun of tyme sen the tyme of Christ to thir our dayes