Some time between the years 964 and 988, a new title appeared on a document that was not specifically dated. A dispute had occurred over an inheritance in Kent, to which Archbishop Dunstan had laid claim. The case was heard before the shire court and the witness to the Archbishop's oath was the reeve priest named Wulfsige, who was described in the record as the "scirimannes". Though this man was a priest, he held a secular position connected to the administration of the shire. This recorded instance of an official title being linked to the jurisdiction of the shire was a decisive phase in the development of the word "Sheriff".¹⁴

The next step in the development of the word sheriff came with the term "sciresman". This term, though never evolved into general use, was used to describe negotiations between Abbot Aelfhun and a man named Leofric, who was identified as a "scyresman". There have been several variant spellings of this word. All of the spellings appear to be associated with the title that identified an official delineation of a king's agent and an administrator within the shire.¹⁵

During the reign of King Cnut (1017-1035) the kingdom was reduced to four (then later six) great earldoms. This led to the elimination of the ealdorman's authority in the shires. This left the king's reeves to be the sole secular authority for the administration of the shires. This person, who now had an advanced status, was the head executive for the shire. It was during Cnut's reign that the official royal title "scirgerfa" began. This was a combination of two Anglo-Saxon words and was indicative of the advanced status and responsibility of the High Reeve. The new title scirgerfa was soon adapted to common speech to scir-reeve, which ultimately became the word Sheriff.¹⁶

While in Rome in 1027, King Cnut wrote a letter which formally identified the word sheriff. The letter in part read:

"I command all the sheriff's and reeves over my whole kingdom, as they wish to retain my friendship and their own safety, that they employ no unjust force against any man neither rich nor poor, but all men of noble or humble birth shall have the right to enjoy just law, from which there is to be no deviation in any way, neither on account of the royal favour nor out of respect for any powerful man, nor in order to amass money for me. Now therefore I command and implore all my bishops and reeves of the kingdom by the faith which you owe to God and to me that all dues which is owed to God shall be paid in full. If they are not paid, the Royal collectors are to obtain them according to law."¹⁷

The letter shows that the word sheriff was used in its present form in 1027 relative to English maintenance and administration of the shires. It also shows a sense of noble justice by the king; that no man shall be held to a greater or lesser standard by their status or birthright. Further, it acknowledges that the government of the shires was blessed in the name of God and that the king was empowered by holy ordinance to rule the land through the administration of the sheriffs. Finally, the letter identified that the collection of taxes through the sheriff was a matter of law, not a matter of choice, and fully enforceable as well as unavoidable.

By the eleventh century, the sheriffs were ingrained with law enforcement responsibility. When Edward the Confessor succeeded King Cnut in 1042, the sheriff was the custodian of all the shires within his reign. The sheriff had full authority to execute any and all of the king's commands. It was the sheriff's responsibility at this time to keep the king's peace, raise the hue and cry, and punish any violators. The sheriff seized lands of traitors and enforced all of the king's regulations. The authority of the sheriff within the shire was tremendous and the term of his office did not expire. It was held for an indefinite period and certainly as long as royal revenues were plentiful.¹⁸

18. Gladwin, I, The Sheriff: The Man and his Office, (London: Victor Gollancz Ltd., 1974), pp. 28-29.