sergeancy, serjeancy Hist.
(ˈsɑːdʒənsɪ)
Forms: 4 sargeancie, serjancy, sergancie, 7 sergeancy, serjeancy, (9 less correctly sergeantcy).
[a. AF. sergeancie, graphic variant of sergeantie sergeanty. In later use a new formation on sergeant + -cy.]
† 1. The body of sergeants in a country, the sergeant-class. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 13391 note, Þe seriauntz [v.r. sargeancie] & þe archers, & oþere noble arbalasters. 1338 ― Chron. (1725) 83 Knyght & sergeancie als how mykelle þei helde. |
† 2. The district or province held by or under the government of a sergeant. Obs.
| 1371 Rolls of Parlt. II. 306/1 Touz les Hundrez,..Serjancies, & Fraunchises. 1464 Ibid. V. 547/2 Eny Graunte..to be had..of the Sergancie withynne our Counties of Not' and Berk'. |
† 3. = sergeanty 1. Obs.
| 1602 W. Fulbecke 1st Pt. Parall. 21 Grand sergeancy, is where a man holdeth his lands or tenements..by doing some speciall seruice to the king in person. Ibid., Petite Sergeancy, is where a man holdeth his land of the king, paying yearely vnto him a bow, or a speare, or a dagger, or a launce, or a spurre of gold &c. c 1630 Risdon Surv. Devon §296 (1810) 306 Lord Martin held this land..by serjeancy. |
4. The office of a sergeant or a serjeant in various senses; e.g. an appointment by writ or patent of the crown as serjeant-at-law; also the commission of sergeant in the army.
| a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1693) 110 Lord Keeper..congratulated their Adoption unto that Title of Serjeancy. 1814 Scott Wav. vii, Some sly petitions for sergeantcies and corporalships. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xii. ix. (1872) IV. 205 He did reward them by present, by promotion to sergeantcy. |