Forms: 5–9 bayly-, bally-, bayli-, baili-, bali-, baily-, bayl-, baylie-, baly-, bailly-, bailli-, -weke, -wyke, -wick(e, -wik(e (more than 20 forms). [f. BAILIE + -WICK: see also BAILIFFWICK.]
1. A district or place under the jurisdiction of a bailie or bailiff. Used in Eng. Hist. as a general term including sheriffdom; and applied to foreign towns or districts under a vogt or bailli.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 123. A mean Bayliff may do more in his Bayly-Weke.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 51 a. By the othe of xii true men of hys bayliwike.
1596. Spenser, State Irel., Wks. (1862), 553/2. The sheriffe of the shire, whose peculiar office it is to walke up and downe his bayli-wicke.
1678. T. Jones, Heart & Right Sov., 88. Our British Isles, which never were within the diocess or bayliwick of Rome.
1759. B. Martin, Nat. Hist. Eng., II. 355. A fair Bailiwick and Town corporate.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 305. Berne. This Canton contains 72 bailiwicks.
1862. Ansted, Channel Isl., IV. xxiii. 519. Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, together with Herm … composing the Bailiwick of Guernsey.
1884. Law Rep., Chanc. Div. XXV. 341. The sheriff … made a return … that Mr. S. had no lay fee within his bailiwick.
2. The office or jurisdiction of a bailie or a bailiff. (Now only Hist.)
1494. Fabyan, VII. 528. The offyce of ballywyke.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Jas. V., Wks. (1711), 88. A suit … about the ballywick of Jedburgh-forrest.
1687. N. Johnston, Assur. Abbey Lands, 69. Other Ecclesiastical Benefices, Provost-ships, Baly-wicks, Commendams, Canon-ships, other Benefices, &c.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., II. xvii. 557. No gift of land, franchise … or bailiwick should be made.
† 3. Stewardship. (Cf. BAILIESHIP.) Obs.
1550. Crowley, Epigr., 1257. Christe shall saie at the laste daye, Geve accounts of your baliwickes.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven (1603), 171. To give an account of our bailywicke.
4. Comb. bailiwick-town, a town under the jurisdiction of a bailiff; the chief town of a hundred.
1675. Ogilby, Brit., 172. Hexham … is at present a well-built Bailiwick Town.
1724. De Foe, etc., Tour Gt. Brit. (1769), III. 241. The Bailiwick-town of Hexham.
