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

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First published 1986 (DOST Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Possesso(u)r(e, n. [ME and e.m.E. possessour (Wyclif), -or, AF possessour, F. possesseur (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), L. possessor, agent noun f. possidēre Possed(e v., Posses(s v.] One who possesses, occupies, is ruler of, enjoys, has as his own (land or other property, an office, etc., a dominion, or some quality or non-material attribute), in senses 3 and 4 of Posses(s v.; a possessor, occupier, owner. Also fig.For further examples see Heritabil(l adj. 3, Heritour n. 2, Kindly adj. 5, Lauchful(l adj. 5 (2), etc.(1) c1420 Wynt. vi 360.
He Decretyd hym thar kyng to be That wes lyk to mak defens … Bot the possessoure to procure He gaue thame byddyng wyth honoure [W. Bot to trete the possessoure With all worschip and honour] c1460 Wisd. Sol. (S.T.S.) 256.
Quhar mekle riches is, thare mone be mony seruandis to dispende thai gudis and gowerne thaim and the possessor takis bot his lewyng thar-of 1496 Acta Conc. II 28.
Bot to the last possessour [of a fishing] 1539 Exch. R. XVII 662.
As to oure landis sett to grete gentillmen in oure les age … ye sall sett the samyn agane to the auld possessouris 1558 Glasgow Prot. II 55.
And ovirgaif all reycht [etc.] … als weile petitour as possessour, quhilk he had 1558-66 Knox II 306. 1580 Inverness Rec. I 284.
Sua the intrant be of the last possessouris blude and surname and dwelling within this burcht 1582 Glasgow B. Rec. I 94.
And stanis infixt be the possessouris 1633 Acts V 22/1.
For chairging of the possessors for the tyme to … obey the schoolmaisters of the dewties that sall be appointed 1670 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 4 Oct.
Ordaines all heretors wodsetterris and possessors within burgh to remove any fallen stones(2) 1442 Stirlings of Keir 216.
We fande hym possessoure of thaim lachfull and nocht the said Gilbert 1472 Lennox Mun. 90.
Erle Duncane that deid last possessour of the said erldome 1498 Acta Conc. II 281. 1509 Reg. Privy S. I 297/1. 1516 Ib. 432/2. c 1525 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. I 55. 1532 Douglas Bequest 33.
My airis, assignais, possessouris, brovkares of the saidis landis 1533 Boece 373.
Gif ane kow … be slane and the slayare be vnknawin … the possessoure thareof sall resaue the deid beist c1552 Lynd. Mon. 437.
Be Adam … Umquhyle of paradyse possessour c1575 Balfour Pract. 263.
Gif the superiour of ony landis callis and persewis his tenent, possessour of the samin, to heir and se [etc.] 1576 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 371.
A man provyded of old to a benefice, and now serving at another kirk for a stipend whether is he just possessor of the benefice, or [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. I 48/3.
Quhene ane hes over mekill geir ether it provoikis the possessouris thairof to attempt sum wngodlie porpois or ellis [etc.] 1584 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. I 197.
The possessours of ilk skair land beneth the toun 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Herreȝelda.
The best aucht … quhilk ane husband-man, possessour of the aucht parte of ane dauach of lande, … hes in his possession 1611-57 Mure Hist. Rowallane 241.
That the Mures … were possessours of the estate & liveing of Rowallane 1663 Stitchill Baron Ct. 28.
The haill tenants and possessors of the auld lady her lyferent-lands 1670 Melrose Reg. Rec. II 259. 1678 Moray Synod 170.
The present possessores of the lands of Edindache(3) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9723.
Alexander … Hard tell for treuth Lodwik was Empreour, And King of France and thairof possessour(4) c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 198.
Bot he nought ane is, bot nane of naturis possessoris(5) fig. c1600 Montg. Suppl. ix 73.
Now, I possessour of all cair

b. Qualified by the adjs. violent, injust, wrang. 1521 Fife Sheriff Ct. 274.
He hes violently put hir pleuch out of hyre saidis landis, tendand … to intruse him tharintil as ane violent possessore 1551 Prot. Bk. J. Cristisone 107 (see Maisterful(l adj. 1 a). 1555 Acts II 494/2 (see Occupyar n. 1). 1565–6 Reg. Privy C. I 432.
To heir thame decernit violent possessouris, mynding … to remove thame bayth fra the saidis landis and kirk 1558-66 Knox II 70 (see Injust adj. a). a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxiii 27.
Fray God degressouris And vrang possessouris