The name of a town in England (the county town of Staffordshire); also a surname derived from this. Used attrib. as in † Stafford blue, some kind of blue cloth; Stafford(’s) knot Her., a knot used as a badge of the Stafford family; hence, a form of knot resembling this; † Stafford law, ‘club law,’ with pun on staff; so † Stafford court. Also used for STAFFORDSHIRE, as in Stafford brick (see quot. 1908).
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., iii. 200. Thou were worthi be cled In *stafford blew; ffor thou art alway adred.
1908. Animal Management, (Vet. Departm., War Office), 48. ‘Candy,’ ‘blue *Stafford,’ ‘Dutch,’ and ‘adamantine clinkers’ being the names of familiar varieties [of vitrified bricks].
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Festin, Il a esté au festin de Martin baston, He hath had a triall in *Stafford Court.
1552. Invent. Ch. Goods York, etc. (Surtees), 49. iij sewtes of vestmentes with *Stafforde knotes.
1828–40. Berry, Encycl. Her., I. Stafford Knot, a badge used by the family of Stafford.
1847. Gloss. Heraldry, 197. Stafford’s Knot.
1868. Walcott, Sacred Archæol., 507. A true-love-knot … was the well-known Stafford knot.
1589. Hay any Work, Aiij. I threatned him with blowes, and to deale by *stafford law.
1599. Breton, Will of Wit, etc. (Grosart), 29/1. And among souldiours Stafford law, martiall law, killing or hanging is soone learned.
1615. Bedwell, Moham. Impost., I. § 26. The Alkoran of Mohammed established by Stafford law.
1647. M. Corbet, Sp., 31 July, 5. We have unlawfully erected Marshall Law, Club Law, Stafford Law, and such lawless Laws as make most for Treason.
