shrivalty

Noun

shrievalty (plural shrievalties)

1. The office, jurisdiction, or tenure of a sheriff (chiefly in reference to the British office; uncommon in reference to the American office).
   • After discourse of this, and of supplying the garrison with some more horse, we rose; and Sir J. Minnes and I home again, finding the street about our house full, Sir R. Ford beginning his shrievalty to-day and, what with his and our houses being new painted, the street begins to look a great deal...1663, Samuel Pepys, Diary of Samuel Pepys, September/October 1663

   Synonyms:

   sheriffalty, sheriffdom