The three volumes of the Inquisitionum ad Capellam Domini Regis Retornatarum Abbreviato, nowadays called the Retours were among the earliest of the Record Poublication edited by Thomas Thomson and issued in 1811 and 1816 at the expense of the Government of the day. They are indispensable to the genealogist, because they record from about 1544 to 1699 an authentic history by inheritance of the greater part of the landed property in Scotland, and the descent of most of its leading families. For the years between 1544 and 1600 and 1611 to 1614 many retours are missing but otherwise the record from 1600 to 1847 is fairly complete.
When a Scottish landowner died, the heir could not succeed to the lands until his claim had been formally recognised and he had been served nearest lawful Heir. The procedure to do this began with a Brieve of Inquest (writ) sent from Chancery to the Sheriff of the county in which the lands were situated. The brief instructed him to appoint a jury and hold an inquiry into the claimant's right to succession and into other questions related to the value of the land, the feudal superior and the feudal service of the land holding. The findings of the inquiry were then sent back to Chancery (i.e. retoured) and recorded in the Record of Retours now held in the National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Retours, which were written in Latin (as is this CD), were of two kinds, general retours and special retours. A general retour established the claim of the heir by descent but did not detail the lands of his ancestor whereas special retours not only established the claim but also specified the lands to which he was entitled.
The major part of the three volumes on this CD-ROM is concerned with the special retours in Volumes one and two. These are Latin summaries which list the names of the deceased person and the heir, their relationship and a description of the lands inherited. The volumes are arranged by county and within each county by name and place. Volume two also lists general retours which are followed by retours of tutory (minors), curatory (insane persons), extent (the value of lands) and quinquennial possession (property forfeited for treason). Volume three contains the indexes to volumes one and two. Indexes to retours from 1700 to 1859 are on a separate CD-ROM entitled 'Services of Heirs in Scotland' (this will be added to our website soon).
Contents:
Volume 1
Preface
Inquisitionum Specialium Abbreviatio; (Special Services) Aberdeen - Orkney and Shetland
Volume 2
Abbreviationis Inquisitionum Specialium continuation; Peebles - Wigton
Abbreviationis Inquisitionum Specialium Supplementa; Aberdeen - Wigton
Inquisitionum Generalium Abbreviation (General Services)
Abbreviationis Inquisitionum Generalium Supplementa
Inquisitionum de Tutela Abbreviatio (Tutory incl. Curatory)
Abbreviationis Inquisitionum de Tutela Supplementa
Inquisitiones Valorum (sive Extentuum) (the value of lands)
Inquisitiones de Possessione Quinquennali (property forfeited for treason)
Volume 3
Indices Nominum et Lococum (Indexes of Name and Place)
Related Products:
Decennial Indexes to the Services of Heirs 1700-1859 (Volumes 1-4)
