For forms see LORD sb. and -SHIP. Also 4 lordchip, 5 lorchuppe.
1. The dignity and functions of a lord; dominion, rule, sovereignty; ownership of or dominion † on, over (something specified); rarely pl.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., xxviii. 200. Ðonne we agyltað wið ða hlafordas, ðonne agylte we wið ðone God þe hlafordscipe ʓescop.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 18. Tille Adelwolf gaf he … Lordschip ouer alle be londes bituex Douer & Tuede.
1388. Wyclif, Rom. vi. 9. Deeth schal no more haue lordschip on hym.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 646. Sir Mordrede … Salle be my leuetenante, with lordchipez ynewe.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), i. 4. Þis apple betakens þe lordschepe þat he had ouer all þe werld.
c. 1425. Eng. Conq. Irel., 136. The kynges of Englond owen wel to haue the lordshyp of Irland.
1450–1530. Myrr. Our Ladye, 74. The lordeshyp of all sinne may be so caste out of vs … that [etc.].
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 59. Peter … exhorteth them so to fede the flocke, not as vsing a Lordship ouer the Clergie.
1585. Fetherstone, trans. Calvin on Acts xiv. 19. They challenge to themselves no Lordship, they hunt after no gaine.
1611. Bible, Mark x. 42. They which are accompted to rule ouer the Gentiles, exercise Lordship ouer them.
1625. Massinger, New Way, III. ii. Spite of his Lordship and his Collonelship,… I will make him render … a strict accompt.
1645. Milton, Tetrach., Wks. 1738, I. 218. Our first parent had Lordship over Sea, and Land, and Air.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Mark viii. 38. Will Preferment, Lordship, and Pomp,… recompense him?
1807. Wordsw., White Doe, II. 55. But not for lordship or for land, My Father, do I clasp your knees.
1851. Dixon, W. Penn, xxi. (1872), 184. They claimed the lordship of the soil.
1876. Bancroft, Hist. U.S., IV. i. 313. Parliament had asserted an absolute lordship over the colonies in all cases whatsoever.
1900. Edin. Rev., July, 57. The Templars acquired lordship over not less than 9,000 manors.
¶ Used to render L. dominatio, as the title of an order of angels.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., I. 342. Dominationes sind hlafordscypas ʓecwedene.
a. 1175. Cott. Hom., 219. He ȝescop tyen engle werod … Dominationes, hlafordscipe.
† b. collect. = lords. Obs.
1340–70. Alisaunder, 335. Þe Lordship of Laceedemonie loþed hem þan.
2. The land belonging to a lord, the territory under his jurisdiction; a domain, estate, manor, seignory.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 392. If eny siche lordeschips be … Alienyd or take fro hem.
1399. Rolls of Parlt., III. 452/1. Castels, Maners, Lordeshipes, and other Possessions.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 135. Who-so covetyth a roialme or a lorchuppe to Purchase.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, I. 183. The boundes and lorshyppes of the sayd Mercyens … were large and myghty.
1574. trans. Littleton’s Tenures, 17 b. In divers lordeshippes and mannoures there is suche custome.
1589. Extracts Burgh Rec. Glasgow (1876), I. 144. Walter, commendatour of Blantyre, lord fewar of the lordschipe and regalitie of Glasgw.
1607. Norden, Surv. Dial. (1608), 211. I know a Lordship of my Landlords … it is much pestered with Broome.
a. 1710. Bp. Bull, Serm., xviii. Wks. 1827, I. 448. A good many years ago such a lordship was in such a family.
1765. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Mass., I. iv. 103. This house was built with … four thousand acres for a manor or lordship.
1806. Gazetteer Scotl. (ed. 2), 423. That abbacy was erected into a temporal lordship in the family of Keith.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vii. II. 261. The new envoy … bore a title taken from the lordship of Zulestein.
1873. Dixon, Two Queens, I. I. i. 6. Owner of one of the widest lordships in the Kingdom.
1893. T. F. Tout, Edw. I., iii. 51. The Christian lordships in the Levant were reduced by this time to the slenderest proportions.
† b. A government, province, district. Obs.
c. 1400. Three Kings of Cologne, 55. Þer is an oþir londe þat is clepid Galilee, þe which is a greet lordschippe.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, V. 1075. A squier than rewllyt that lordschip haill.
1535. Coverdale, Josh. i. 2. The kynges that dwelt … in the lordshippes of Dor by the see syde.
1578. T. N., trans. Conq. W. India, 5. In the province of Anigua Iaqua and other lordships which were not as yet pacified.
† 3. Lordliness, arbitrariness. Obs.
1634. Canne, Necess. Separ. (1849), 65. Without any other reason but mere lordship, the whole incorporation and I were dismissed to wait his pleasure.
† 4. The protection given by a lord; patronage.
a. 1420. Hoccleve, De Reg. Princ., 1791. May no lordschepe, sone, þe auayle, ffor al þi long seruice & þi trauaile?
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xxxv. 269. Said the kynge … ye shall haue my loue and my lordship in the vttermest wyse that may lye in my power.
5. The personality of a lord, esp. with possessive pronouns. Your lordship(s: a form of address to noblemen (except archbishops and dukes), and to judges. † Formerly abbreviated Lop., Lop.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, vi. 136. Thys worde I have sayd afore your lordeshyppes for to [etc.].
1540. Morysine, Vives’ Introd. Wysd., Pref. A iv. My poore harte myghte better have served his lordeshyppe.
1550–3. Decaye of Eng. (1871), 102. Besechynge your Hyghnes,… and honourable lordshyppes.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., IV. viii. 34. Cousin of Exeter, what thinkes your Lordship? Ibid. (1613), Hen. VIII., II. ii. 62. Health to your Lordships.
1681. Prideaux, Lett. (Camden), 98. Last Friday out goes about 20 of them to desire his Ldship to [etc.].
1705. Addison, Italy, Ded. I here present your Lordship with the Remarks that I make in a Part of these my Travels.
1755. Johnson, Lett. to Ld. Chesterfield, 7 Feb. Two papers, in which my Dictionary is recommended to the publick, were written by your Lordship.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, iii. (1826), 20. If it is Signora Rosalba whom your lordship means.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), III. 235. We must call that case to the consideration of your Lordships from your Journals.
1858. J. B. Norton, Topics, 160. His Lordship in Council observes that [etc.].
1884. Illustr. Lond. News, 29 Nov., 527/3. Their Lordships then adjourned until next Monday.
b. humorously. (Not uncommon colloq. as a mock complimentary designation for ordinary persons.)
1892. G. R. Lowndes, Camping Sketches, 43. After about half an hour’s walking we dropped down on his lordship [the donkey] browsing unconcernedly in the company of two attendant ‘shes.’
6. Sc. A percentage on sales of books; a royalty.
1887. Duke of Argyll, in 19th Cent., XXII. 612. The plan proposed of a fixed lordship or percentage of sales seems the only proposal which meets all the difficulties of the case.
Mod. Sc. The publisher offered the author a lordship of 10 per cent. on the amount of sales.
7. Comb.: † lordship-marcher, ? a district under the government of a lord marcher.
1613. Hayward, Norm. Kings, 181. This being a Lordship marcher, hath enioyed royall liberties, since the time wherein it was first subdued.
a. 1648. Ld. Herbert, Hen. VIII. (1683), 435. Offenders … being not able … to … fly from one lordship Marcher to another.
