[f. CORPORAL sb.2 + -SHIP.]
† 1. A body of soldiers under the command of a corporal, or of a Corporal of the Field. Obs.
1591. Garrard, Art Warre, 28. If a corporall-shippe of pikemen be joyned togither with another of shot.
1625. Markham, Souldiers Accid., 7. This done, you shall deuide one hundred men into foure Corporallshipps or Squadrons.
1635. Barriffe, Mil. Discip., cxx. (1643), 415. Three rots of pikes make a Corporalship.
1672. T. Venn, Milit. Observ., 191. He [the sergeant] shall march on the outside, where he may best … take charge of their several Corporalships.
2. The office or position of a corporal.
1672. T. Venn, Milit. Observ., 192. The soldiers under his Corporalship.
1814. Scott, Wav., vii. Petitions for sergeancies and corporal-ships.
1858. Chamb. Jrnl., IX. 160. [He] had worked his way up from a corporalship of marines.
