LORD STEWARD

lord steward, in england, an important official of the king's household. he is always a member of the government, a peer and a privy councillor. up to 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance and carried cabinet rank. the lord steward receives his appointment from the sovereign in person, and bears a white staff as the emblem and warrant of his authority. he is the first dignitary of the court. in the _statutes of eltham_ he is called "the lord great master," but in the _household book_ of queen elizabeth "the lord steward," as before and since. in an act of henry viii. (1539) "for placing of the lords," he is described as "the grand master or lord steward of the king's most honourable household." he presides at the board of green cloth.[1] in his department are the treasurer and comptroller of the household, who rank next to him. these officials are usually peers or the sons of peers and privy councillors. they sit at the board of green cloth, carry white staves, and belong to the ministry. but the duties which in theory belong to the lord steward, treasurer and comptroller of the household are in practice performed by the master of the household, who is a permanent officer and resides in the palace. he is a white-staff officer and a member of the board of green cloth but not of the ministry, and among other things he presides at the daily dinners of the suite in waiting on the sovereign. in his case history repeats itself. he is not named in the _black book_ of edward iv. or in the _statutes_ of henry