Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE-MISE', n. [s as z; Fr. demis, demise, from demettre, L. demitto, demissio, de and mitto, Fr. mettre. Literally, a laying down, or sending from; a removing.]

1. In England, a laying down or removal, applied to the crown or royal authority. The demise of the crown, is a transfer of the crown, royal authority or kingdom to a successor. Thus when Edward Fourth was driven from his throne for a few months by the house of Lancaster, this temporary transfer of his dignity was called a demise. Hence the natural death of a king or queen came to be denominated as demise, as by that event, the crown is transferred to a successor. Blackstone.
2. A conveyance or transfer of an estate, by lease or will. Demise and redemise, a conveyance where there are mutual leases made from one to another of the same land, or something out of it. – Encyc.