Hist. [ad. late OE. stallere, *steallere (in genit. contracted stealres, steallres), prob. f. steall STALL sb.1, in imitation of L. stabulārius. Cf. ON. stallari, the title of a Norwegian court officer from the 10th c.] The title of a high officer in the reign of Edward the Confessor, equivalent to CONSTABLE 1.
a. 1100. O. E. Chron., an 1047 (MS. D.). Her man utlagode Osgod stallere.
11[?]. Charter, in Kemble, Cod. Dipl., IV. 291. On Esgeres stealres, and on Raulfes steallres … ʓewitnesse on Lincolne.
c. 1200. in Michel, Chron. Anglo-Norm., II. 234. Esegarus regie procurator aule, qui et anglice dictus stallere, i. e. regni vexillifer.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 439. Wee reade in the private historie of the place, The Kings Staller, that is, Standard Bearer … first founded it.
1875. Stubbs, Const. Hist., xi. (1897), I. 383. The constable … succeeded to the duties of the Anglo-Saxon staller.
¶ Used vaguely for: Officer.
1638. H. Shirley, Martyr’d Souldier, II. iii. Sit downe by me your Officiall: Or to come nearer to the efficacy of the word, Your undermost Iaylor, or staller; The word is Lordly and significant.
Hence Stallership, the office of a ‘staller.’
1868. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (1876), II. App. 684. A mere lad would hardly have been invested with a stallership.
