[f. WARDEN sb.1 + -RY.]
1. The office or position of warden.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VIII. 362. He gaf vp thar his vardanry.
c. 1420. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxx. 5036. Mony dedis worthi, Þat he did in his wardanry.
1434. Proc. Privy Council (1835), IV. 270. Commissions to be maade to þerle or Sarum of boþe wardeneryes.
1546. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 28. The office of wardannre of the West Marchis.
a. 1637. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., V. (1677), 279. The first had been lately dispatched from his office of Wardenry in the West Marches.
1828. Scott, Tales Grandfather, Ser. I. II. 272. He … during his absence, committed the wardenry of the Scottish frontiers to a brave French knight.
2. The jurisdiction of, or district under the care of, a Warden of the Marches.
1462–3. Script. tres (Surtees), App. p. cccxlvii. Every place within our wardenry.
1569. Hunsdon, in E. Lodge, Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791), II. 32. She must sende a good companie, more then either her Wardenries or the garrison of this towne will yelde.
1587. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1814), III. 459/1. Quhilkis iustices … salbe ressauit … be þe wardanis within þe wardanries.
1590. Hunsdon, Lett. to Marshal of Berwick, in Archæologia, XXX. 172. Least they, hearing of it, being within the wardonrie [printed wardourie] should fly upon it.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, IV. xxiv. They may not tamely see, All through the Western Wardenry, Your law-contemning kinsmen ride.
3. The official residence of a warden. rare.
1859. [J. Payn], Foster Brothers, vi. 75. The Wardenry was a fine stone building occupying the entire side of a huge square court.
4. Guardianship. nonce-uses.
1903. Hardy, Dynasts, I. VI. viii. He wills the wardenry of his affairs To his old friend. Ibid. (1906), II. I. iii. Still professing our safe wardenry, To fatten other kingdoms at our cost.
