rare. [Two words: (1) f. BOROUGH + -SHIP, answering in formation (though without historical connection) to OE. burhscipe; (2) f. OE. borh pledge, security (see BORROW) + -SHIP.]
1. A township; the fact of constituting a borough or township.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, Voc., 144. Municipium, burhscipe.
1862. Macm. Mag., March, 415. They could not have kept up tribeship, and they took instead of it, their boroughship,—which … consisted in a making up of social tribes on neighbourhood, instead of kindred on blood.
2. The condition of being security for the good behavior of neighbors; FRANK-PLEDGE.
1864. Reader, 23 July, 98/3. The … institution of boroughship, or lawbinding of the landholders as pledges, each for the other’s lawful behaviour.
