Forms: 4– bailly-, baili-, bayely-, baili-, bealie-, bayly-, bailie-, -ship, -shyppe. [f. BAILIE + -SHIP: see also BAILIFFSHIP.]
† 1. Stewardship. lit. and fig. Obs.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. 1869, I. 22. A reckenynge of þi baillyship.
1532. Hervet, Xenophon’s Househ. (1768), 58. What profyte shulde we haue by his bayelyshyppe?
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Luke xvi. 2. Render account of thy bailiship: for now thou canst no more be bailife.
2. The office of a bailie or (obs.) a bailiff.
c. 1472. Plumpton Corr., 27. The office of the bailiship of Sesey.
1589. Wills & Inv. N. C. (1860), 166. With all my ryght of the bealieship of Carham.
1602. Fulbecke, 2nd Pt. Parall., 45. More agreable to our lawe especially in this matter of bailieship.
3. The district under a bailie or bailiff.
1502. Arnold, Chron. (1811), 212. Them which out of his baylyship comen as marchauntis.
1681. Lond. Gaz., No. 1598/2. The Baylyship of Drenthe, which is a part of the Province of Groningen.
