1542 N. Udall tr. Erasmus f. 50v The places, where open fightes wer exhibited, wer made circlewise round about with settles or benches of marble, staier wise one aboue an other.
1871 W. Kay 403 The rhythmical structure of these Psalms [cxx. to cxxxiv] (in which one line is built up upon another stair-wise).