shrievalty

[ shree-vuh l-tee ]

/ ˈʃri vəl ti /

the office, term, or jurisdiction of a sheriff.

Also called sheriffalty.

Origin of shrievalty

1495–1505; shrieve¹ + -alty, as in mayoralty

shrewmouse, shrewsbury, shri, shriek, shrieval, shrievalty, shrieve, shrift, shrike, shrill, shrimp

He ought to do something to make his shrievalty memorable… and, moreover, the Lord-Lieutenant was an old man.

Brother Copas |Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
In 1855, however, he was unexpectedly called upon to discharge the duties of the Shrievalty.

Norfolk Annals |Charles Mackie
In the first row stood Monceux, in all the pomp of his shrievalty, with his councilmen and aldermen.

Robin Hood |Paul Creswick
A very pretty custom obtained, as we learn by the records of Evelyn's father's shrievalty.

A Righte Merrie Christmasse |John Ashton

Twice Watt was requested to undertake the honor of the shrievalty; in 1803 that of Staffordshire, and in Pg.

James Watt |Andrew Carnegie

shrievalty

/ (ˈʃriːvəltɪ) /

the office or term of office of a sheriff

the jurisdiction of a sheriff

C16: from shrieve, on the model of mayoralty