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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

S(c)hirefs(c)hip, S(c)heriff-, S(c)heref(f)-, Schireschip, n. Also: schireff-, shireiff-, shirief-, s(c)hirref-, shirrif(f)-, scherreff-, sherrif-, sere(i)f-, shriff-, shref(f)- and -s(c)hipe, -shipp(e, -schipt, -schyp, -chip; sheiriffsheip; schireffischip; shirroushipe, serreschep. [S(c)hiref n.]

1. The office of sheriff.Freq., esp. in early use, (the) office of (the) schirefschip (of the place designated), also (once), the office of deput schirefschip.(1) 1471–2 Acta Aud. 20/2.
That … he be depriuit for euer fra the office of depute schirefschip 1473 Treas. Acc. I 46.
The office of schirefship of Striueling 1490–1 Acta Conc. I 177/2.
For the wrangwis & inordinate execucioune of ther office of schirrefschip apoun the said William & takin fra him of certane gudis 1497 Ib. II 89.
The charter and infeftment gevin to Wilyeam, Lord Ruthven … of the office of the schireschip of Perth 1498 Treas. Acc. I 316.
For the compositioune of the office of schirefschip of Elgin and Forres 1500 Acta Conc. II 433.
The sheriff and his depute … ingyrit thame till the office of the schirefschip 1508–9 Reg. Privy S. I 278/2.
We … sal … infeft our sade cousing … in the said office of schirefschip, castel keping and landis 1527 Ib. 563/2.
The office of schirefchip of Dumbartane 1538 Misc. Spald. C. II 214.
Williame Erle of Erole to be seruit be breuis off oure chapell … off the office of Constabillye off oure realme shirefshipe off Abyrdyne and patronage of the kyrk off Turreff 1540 Ib. lxxxii n.
Shirriffshipe 1542 Elgin Rec. I 70.
Letteris directit to the forsaidis provost … till vse the offece of serreschep in that part in ane matter debatabill 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 82/1.
Offices of schirefschippis 1553 Lochwinnoch Par. 51.
Shirrefchip 1541–61 Linlithgow Sheriff Ct. in Fife Sheriff Ct. xxxiv n.
His infeftment of the office of the schirefschipe of the said schirefdome in perchiament writing 1573 Elgin Rec. I 141.
Serefschip 1579 Reg. Privy S. III 161.
His office of shereffschip of Lanark 1594 Buccleuch Mun. II 252.
The office of the schereffschyp of Edinburghe a1633 Hope Major Pract. II 36.
The king declared him to have tint his heretabill office of shireiffshippe(2) 1497 Treas. Acc. I 315.
I resauit … for his compositioune of the assedatioune and tak of Dernvay … and the schireffschip of Elgin and Forres [£666 13 s. 3 d.] 1499–1500 Acta Conc. II 347.
To … se him be exemyt be the kingis hienes fra al jurisdictioun of schirefschip of the sade Alexander 1503 Acts II 241/2.
Becaus the erle of Ergile allegis that he has justry & schirefschip of heretage of Lorn & Ergile & that his justice ar thairof suld bene haldin within Ergile 1520 Fife Sheriff Ct. 176.
I maid this act … to be acckit & mentit in this my court buke of schireffischip 1541 Reg. Privy S. II 605/1.
With power to the said Olyver … courtis of justiciary, schirefschip, admirallie and baillierie … to sett 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 180.
The superioritie of Strathnaver, together with the heritable shirrefship of Southerland 1633 Aberd. Council Lett. I 387.
Ane heretable gift of the shirefship and tronarship iusticiarie of peace within our burgh 16.. Herries Mem. 28.
Shiriefships 1695 Wemyss Corr. 151.
Or els she must quite the shirrifship of Fife 1698 Laing MSS 485.
My lord, the signature of the shirrefship of the town of Edinburgh was sent up for his majestie's hand more than two years agoe(b) 1530–1 Maxwell Mem. I 261.
The scherreffschip of Dunbartane and balȝaroy of the Lennox 1531 Bell. Boece II 437.
King David … gaif … the … sereifschip of Tevidale to the said Alexander 1564–5 Reg. Privy C. I 315.
Andro, Erle of Rothes, consentit that Patrik Lord Lindesay … be exemit fra the jurisdictioun of schereffschip of the said Erle of Rothes a1578 Pitsc. II 184/5.
My lord Lyndesay tuik possessioun of the schereffschip of Fyffe 1589 Lanark B. Rec. 95.
Thair infeftmentis of scheriffschipt 1611 Reg. Panmure I xxxii.
Durine the lord Grayes wardine quhilk, wes for the space of sewine ȝeires, he occupiit the sherefshipe 1629 Red Bk. Menteith II 25.
Any heretable office, sherrifship, baillerie, stuartrie, or regalitie 1650 Buccleuch Mun. II 359.
I did wrett two sewerall letters to you annent the sheiriffsheip a1688 Wallace Orkney 103.
The government of the stewart is in the king's bounds, the manner and procedure of his jurisdiction is after the form of sheriffship, the title only differing 16.. Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. II 201.
Hugh Lord Semple sold the shirefship in 1636(c) 1576 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 281.
Exemand thame … fra our traist cousing as shreff of our said shrefdome his depuittis thair offices and jurisdictioun of the said shreffschipe notourlie knavin to the saidis lordis 1657 Balfour Ann. III 393.
A gift, durante vita, of the shriffschipe of Aire 1659 House Gordon II 131.
Shriffship(d) 1573 Elgin Rec. I 141.
Infeftment … heretable of all and heill the serefschip of the serefdome of Innernes 1639 Gowrie P. 108.
The Earle of Nidsdeal had demitted to the kinges maiestie the shirroushipe and steuardie of Anandeil

2. = S(c)hirefdom(e n. 1. 1544 Dunbar Moray Doc. 67.
Lyand in the earledome of Murray and shrefship of Elgine 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 451.
The matter was the setling of the shriffshipp-regalitie of Southerland and enlarging the bounds of the shriffshipp of Southerland