▪ I. bailie
(ˈbeɪlɪ)
Forms: 3 bailli, -ie, 3–4 baili, 3–7 bayly, 4 bayli, bayely, 4–5 baylle, 4–6 bayle, bailye, 4–8 bailly, 5 bailȝhey, 5–6 baly, 5–7 bayley, 6 baylay, bailȝie, 7 baylie, 7–8 baillie, bailey, 4–9 baily, 6– bailie.
[ME. bailli, a. OF. bailli (13th c.), later form of baillis, baillif, bailiff, q.v.]
Another form of the word bailiff, with which it was formerly interchangeable; now obsolete in England, but retained in a special sense in Scotland.
† 1. = bailiff 1. Obs.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 129 To þe baylys of þe toun hastiliche heo wende. a 1300 Cursor M. 5008 Þar vs tok þe hei baili [v.r. bailly, bayli, baily]. Ibid. 9558 He ne had neuer sa gret envie, Als þis man for to be baillie [v.r. bayly]. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 306/1 Mayres, Shereues, baylles, and suche other lasse offyces. 1494 Fabyan Hen. III, an. 1266 (R.) Y⊇ baylly of the castell of Wyndesore. 1501 Plumpton Corr. 159 The baylay of Byngham Vapentake. 1527 Gardiner in Pocock Rec. Ref. I. 75 Being advised by the baly of Dover so to do. 1530 Proper Dyaloge (1863) 39 Euery secular lorde..is Gods bayly. 1598 Hakluyt Voy. I. 129 Sent to the Sherife of Sudsex, to the Maior and Communaltie of the Citie of Winchester, to the Baily of Southampton, the Baily of Lenne, the Baily of Kent. 1662 Fuller Worthies ii. 129 At Ashby De La Zouch..where his Father under the Earl of Huntington, was Governour or Baly of the Town. |
| humorously. 1652 Brome Jov. Crew i. 364 Then up rise Randal, Bayley of the Beggars. |
2. In Scotland. † a. formerly, The chief magistrate of a barony or part of a county, having functions equivalent to those of a sheriff. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 190 Schyrreffys and bailȝheys maid he then. 1425 Acts Jas. I (1597) §63 The Kingis Baillie, or a Depute of the towne. 1634–46 Row Hist. Kirk (1842) 87 For other civill and criminall jurisdictions, the heretable baillies might supplie that part. 1754 Erskine Princ. Sc. Law (1809) 38 Where lands, not erected into a regality, fell into the King's hands, he appointed a bailie over them, whose jurisdiction was equal to that of a sheriff. |
b. now. A municipal magistrate corresponding to the English alderman.
| 1484 Caxton Chyualry 23 Kynges and prynces which make prouostes and baillyes of other persones than of knyȝtes. 1558 Instr. of Sasine in Annals of Hawick 331 In the hands of Adam Cessfurde, ane of ye bailȝies of Hawick. 1609 Skene Reg. Mag. 128 At the first head Court after Michael⁓mes, the Baillies sould be chosen. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. II. 162 Edinburgh is governed by a lord provost, four baillies. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxix, I am a free burgess and a magistrate o' Glasgow; Nicol Jarvie is my name, I am a bailie, be praised for the honour. |
† 3. = bailiff 2. Obs. (or dial.)
| c 1340 Cursor M. (Trin.) 12914 As baily [Cott. bedel] goþ bifore Iustise. c 1386 Chaucer Friar's T. 92 ‘Artow than a bayely?’ ‘Ye,’ quod he. 1460 Townley Myst. 17 A mekille myschaunce And the bayles us take. 1542 Brinklow Complaynt vii. (1874) 21 Euery man is a bayly to attache a felon. c 1600 Norden Spec. Brit. Cornw. (1728) 73 A libertye when the Shirifes Baylye can not areste. 1668 Shadwell Sullen Lov. iii. Wks. 1720 I. 63 Worse than a Bayley, that arrests in the Inns of Court. [In Scotland, constables specially employed in carrying out the Tweed Fisheries' Acts are called Water-bailies.] |
| fig. 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 120 Natures pale-fac'd Bailey now distrains His blood. |
† 4. = bailiff 3. Obs.
| c 1375 Wyclif Serm. Sel. Wks. 1869 I. 24 Þis bailly [Luke xvi. 1] was worldly wyse. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 41/3 That Eleazar the sone of my baily be myn heyr. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §134 If thou haue any wode to sell..cause thy bayly..to do it for the. 1602 W. Fulbecke 2nd Pt. Parall. 45 A bailie is he to whom a speciall charge of procuring a mans profite, and the valuable increase of his wealth is committed. 1661 Pepys Diary 19 July, Agreeing with Hauker to have a care of my business in my absence..to be our bayly. 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia ii. i. 43 A very pretty fellow for a gentleman's bailey. 1730 Swift Panegyr. Dean Misc. (1735) V. 137 You merit new Employments daily: Our Thatcher, Ditcher, Gard'ner, Baily. |
5. bailie-errant = bailiff-errant: see bailiff 4.
| 1528 Tindale Obed. Chr. Man Wks. I. 204 The sheriffs, baily-errants, constables, and such like officers. |
▪ II. bailie
variant of baillie, Obs., jurisdiction, and of bailey, court-wall of a castle.