understeward

plural understewards

1. alternativeAlternative form of under-steward.

   On R.'s first morning, for instance, the innkeeper tells him that Schwarzer had exaggerated his parentage: he is not the son of the castle steward, but the son of an "understeward," and even one of the lowest understewards.

   1988, Michael Metteer, Desire in Fictional Communities, New York, N.Y.; London: Garland Publishing, Inc., →ISBN, pages 203–204

   2 more examples

   The under steward is the Stewards deputy, and sometimes appointed by writing, sometimes by paroll, and the extent of his Authority, is as great as the Stewards owne Authority, and his office consisteth in performance of the selfe same duties, that the high Steward himselfe is to performe, onely in this point the power of the Steward goeth beyond the power of the understeward, that the Steward can make an admittance out of Court, and it shall stand good if entry be made in the Court Roll, that he that is admitted, hath paid his fine and hath done fealty, but the understeward though he may take a surrender out of the Court, yet he cannot make any admittance out of Court, without especiall Authority or particular Custome.

   1641, Edward Coke, The Compleate Copy-Holder Wherein Is Contained a Learned Discourse of the Antiquity and Nature of Manors and Copy-Holds, vvith All Things Thereto Incident, as Surrenders, Presentments, Admittances, Forfeitures, Customes, &c. Necessary Both for the Lord and Tenant: Together, with the Forme of Keeping a Copy-Hold Court, and Court Baron, London: […] T. Cotes for W. Cooke, pages 130–131

   Amid the hubbub of bustling servants and cooks and pages and understewards crowded into the bowels of the palace, the two newest members of the domestic staff were able to escape notice not only by the harried steward, but also by the guards from the yard, who were still conducting a frantic search

   1988, Mallory Burgess, Passion Fire, Avon Books, →ISBN, page 367