[f. ADVOCATE sb. + -SHIP.] The office of an advocate: i.e.,
1. of an intercessor; intercession, pleading, advocacy.
c. 1568. Coverdale, Christ’s Cross, ix. Wks. III. 260. Christ’s mediation, intercession and advocateship.
1656. Hardy, Serm., XX. (1865), 125/2. The advocateship of Christ consists in a fourfold presentation.
c. 1680. Hallywell, Sav. of Souls, 71 (T.). This redargution of the world was made a part of the advocateship of the Holy Spirit.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. 232. So expect not any advocateship from me.
2. of a legal pleader.
1611. Cotgr., Advocatie, an Advocateship; the duty or place of an Advocate.
1618. trans. Barneveld’s Apol., Gj. After the fifteenth yeare of my Aduocateships place.
1631. B. Jonson, New Inn, II. vi. (T.). Leave your advocateship Except that we shall call you Orator Fly.
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., II. X. ii. 580. François accordingly sat ‘in chambers’ … even became an advocate; but did not in the least take to advocateship. Ibid. (1867), Remin. (1881), II. 60. He was quitting his Lord Advocateship, and returning home.
† 3. of the patron of a church; advocation, patronage. Obs.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Princes had also another title to advocate-ship, some of them pretending to be advocati nati of the churches within their dominions.
