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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Stewartry, Stewartie, n. Also: stewartrye, stewartri(e, stewartre(e, stewaterie, steuartr(i)e, stuartrie, stewardrie, steuardry, -rie, steuardie. [e.m.E. stewartie (Holland Camden's Brit. with reference to the Scottish stewartries); Stewart n.]See also note at Stewart n.]

1. The office of steward in senses of Stewart n. a. In sense l e. b. In sense 2. c. The office of steward of Marischal College, Aberdeen. Cf. Stewart n. 3 a. d. The stewardship of a church or congregation. Cf. Stewart n. 3.a. ?a1450 Florimond 282.
[King Philip] I tak thé all as myne. For me thow levis thy cuntre. My steuartre heir gif I thé, and of my court lord I thé mayb. 1470 Breadalbane Doc. (Reg. H.).
The stewartry of his landis … we grante to the saidis Sire Colin ande his ayris the stewartry of his awyn lande of Glenvrquhay 1491 Acta Aud. 150/2.
The actioun … aganis Johne lord Drummond for his interes tuiching the possessioun of the officez of stewartry crovnareschip and forestary of the lordship of Straithern 1493 Acta Conc. I 267/1.
The questionune … quhat sulde pertene to the said officis of schirrefschip and quhat sulde pertene to the said stewartrj [sc. of the earldom of March] 1508–9 Reg. Privy S. I 281/1.
A lettre of remitt … to Johne Lord Maxwell of the soum of [£3745 13 d.] restand on him in the chekker rollis in the fute of his last compt gevin of his office of stewartry of Anandirdale 1515 Reg. Privy S. I 407/1.
The officis of capitanry of the castell of Doun in Menteth, and stewartry and balȝery of Menteth 1593–4 Exch. R. XXII 362.
Item sauld in the infeftment maid to David, lord Drummound, of the stewartie of Stratherne, ane mart, aucht for the blancheferme of the said office of stewartie c1630 Hope Minor Practicks (1726) 95.
Item, the stewartries in Scotland, are offices erected in the king's proper lands … and these stewartries are not only erected with the power of the sheriffs, but also have the power of regalities 1659 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 211 (29 July).
No reall executioune culd follow upon the former in regaird of the vacance of the said stewartrie and displacing of the said Sir Georg Maxwell 1686 Mackenzie Observ. (1687) 251.
The steuartries or bailliries be here appointed to come to the heed burrows of the shire(b) 1629 Red Bk. Menteith II 25.
Who of them have any heretable office, sherrifship, baillerie, stuartrie, or regalitie(c) 1639 Gowrie P. 108.
The Earle of Nidsdeal had demitted to the Kinges maiestie the shirroushipe and steuardie of Anandeilc. 1593 Aberd. B. Rec. II 79.
Ane letter of electioun of James Forbes of Tulliboy in and to the office of ekonomous collectorie and stewartrie of the new colledge of Abirdene foundit be … George Erll Marischall, for collecting, calling and persewing for the rentis of the said colledged. 1600-1610 Melvill 783.
The hous of God, quhairoff the stewardries concreditit to us be brokin upe

2. A territory under the jurisdiction of a steward (Stewart n. 2).(a) 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I 5.
His landis of Barnagehane within the stewartry of Kirkcudbrith 1476 Acta Aud. 46/1. 1497 Acta Conc. II 89.
The charge … to find quha suld be dettoure to his hienes … within the boundis of the stewartryis and bailȝeryis of the sade schyre 1498 Acta Conc. II 164.
The landis of Auchlosky, liand in the stewartrye of Straitherne within the schirefdome of Perth 1539 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. i (Young v. Seytoun).
Land within oure stewartre of Fife 1544 Perth Guildry 376 (14 July).
Stewartrye 1555 Glenartney Doc.
David Lord Drummond Stewart of the Stewartrie of Me[nteith] and Stratherne 1560 Soc. Ant. XXIII 55.
The lairdship and leiving of Mouswald … lyand in the Stewartry of Annandale c1575 Balfour Pract. 19.
The stewart is juge competent to all indwellaris within his stewartrie 1582 Reg. Privy C. III 500.
All personis inhabitantis within the boundis of the said stewartrie of Menteith 1585–6 Reg. Privy C. IV 55.
Stewartree 1594 Acts IV 72/2.
Tua iustice courtis to be haldin ȝeirlie … within euerie ane of the saidis schirefdomes and stewartries at leist; … at Drumfreis for the schirefdome thairof and stewartries of Kircubreich and Annerdaill 1632 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. I 332.
Patrick Glasfoord, clerk of the stewartry of Fife a1633 Hope Major Pract. I 58.
The haill lands abonewritten … to be called in tyme comeing the lordship and steuartrie of Huntingtour 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 48.
This countrie with Orkney is a stewartrie, the greater affairs whereof are (in the stewards absence) managed by a steward deputie, or deputies; the lesser by baillies (commissionated by the steward) in their respective parishes and Isles 1662 Reg. Great S. 108/2.
The £5 land … of Hardgruiff, in the stewartry of Annan, with the office of coroner, (lie colonelship) in the said stewartry 1667 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Deeds I 95.
The lait insurrectione out of the Stewartrie of Kirkcudbrie 1674 Craven Ch. in Orkney I 58.
To be payed out of his Majestie's rents of the Stewartrie of Orknay a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) App. 38.
Stewartries Strath-Fern Menteith Annandail Kirkubright containeth the east part of Galloway a1688 Wallace Orkney 103 (see Stewart n. 2 (1)). 1694 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. IV 156 (see Stewart n. 2 b (b)). 16… Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III 93.
Galloway is devided into two jurisdictions, the Shire and the Stewartry. The Stewartry containeth most of it that lyeth to the east, which is delineate in these mapps of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright and of that which is contained betwixt the water of Dee and Cree(b) 1621 State P. (Reg. H.) No. 121.
The stuartrie of Kirkubricht 1633 (1711) Sibbald's Orkn. & Shetl. 82.
Since the year 1669, when it was erected with Orkney in a stuartrie, the government is by a stuart, the same that is also Stuart of Orknay 1684–5 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 171. 1689 Proclam. 17 Sept.
All malt, ale … that shall happen to be browen, ventid and sold within the respective shires and stuartries(c) 1495 Treas. Acc. I 219.
Steuardry of Kirkcowbrycht 1654 Aberd. B. Rec. IV 142.
Courts of justiciarie, regalitie, steuardrie, baronie, bailȝierie(d) 1563 Bk. Univ. Kirk I 32.
That the bishop of Galloway haunt asweill the shirefdome of Wigton as the stewartie of Kirkubrigh 1593–4 Exch. R. XXII 362.
Assignit to the keping of the castell of Lochmaben, the lardiner martis within the stewartie of Annandail(e) 1697 Dumfr. & Galloway Soc. 3 Ser. XXXVI 46.
For extrudeing … [vagrant persons] furth of the shyre and stewaterie