Webster's 1828 Dictionary
MARSHALSEA
n.In England, the prison in Southwark, belonging to the marshal of the king's household. Court of marshalsea, a court formerly held before the steward and marshal of the king's house, to administer justice between the king's domestic servants.
Webster's 1913 Dictionary
MARSHALSEA
Mar "shal *sea, n. Etym: [Marshal + OE. se a seat. See See a seat. ]
Defn: The court or seat of a marshal; hence, the prison in Southwark, belonging to the marshal of the king's household. [Eng. ] Court of Marshalsea, a court formerly held before the steward and marshal of the king's house to administer justice between the king's domestic servants. Blackstone.
New American Oxford Dictionary
marshalsea
mar shal sea |ˈmärSHəlsē ˈmɑrʃəlsi ˈmɑːrʃlsiː | ▶noun (in England ) a court held before the marshal of the royal household. It was abolished in 1849. • ( the Marshalsea ) a former prison in London, used esp. to incarcerate debtors. It was abolished in 1842. ORIGIN late Middle English (earlier marchalcy ): from Anglo-Norman French marschalcie, from late Latin mariscalcia, from mariscalcus ‘marshal. ’
Oxford Dictionary
marshalsea
marshalsea |ˈmɑːʃ (ə )lsiː | ▶noun (in England ) a court formerly held before the steward and the knight marshal of the royal household. It was abolished in 1849. • ( the Marshalsea ) a former prison in Southwark, London, under the control of the knight marshal. ORIGIN late Middle English (earlier marchalcy ): from Anglo-Norman French marschalcie, from late Latin mariscalcia, from mariscalcus ‘marshal ’.
The Wordsmith Dictionary