† spiritualshipn.
Obsolete. rare.
The position or status of a member of the clergy (cf. spiritual n. 2) (also) a spiritual or ecclesiastical office, jurisdiction, or appointment (cf. spirituality n. 1).
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society > faith > church government > member of the clergy > [noun] > condition
reverendship1609
spiritualship1670
ministeriality1851
clerisy1858
clericity1866
clericality1877
1670 J. Eachard Grounds Contempt of Clergy 90 A sober and temperate Clergy, that will not eat so much as the Laity, but that..the least of every thing, may satisfie their Spiritualship.
1681 Late Famous Tryal Mr. Hickeringill 12 If the Judge had the keeping of his Spiritualship, Mr. Hickeringill should neither be so Rich, nor so Fat.
1806 M. B. Pembridge R.C. Church Vindicated 310 Seven years after the death of Aaron, the Church and religion of God still continued, and was ruled, as to the spiritualship of him, by the High-Priest Eleazar; and in temporal government by Josue.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2020).
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n.1670