Osue no ma

...The name of men and women who served the Imperial Palace and the Shogun's household as low-ranking servants from the Muromachi to Edo periods. In the Imperial Palace and the Muromachi Shogun's household, the rooms facing the various families and ministers were called Osue-no-ma, and low-ranking maids called Osue served there. In the Edo period, among the ladies-in-waiting who served the Shogun's household and various feudal lords, low-ranking women who served as water servants and miscellaneous servants were called Osue, and the rooms where they hung out were also called Osue.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Osue-ma" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…室町時代から江戸時代にかけて，下級の身分で内裏，将軍家の雑役を務めた男女の称。内裏，室町将軍家では諸家，諸臣らの対面にあてられた室を御末間（おすえのま）といい，そこには御末と呼ばれる身分の低い侍女が奉仕した。江戸時代には，将軍家，諸大名に仕える奥女中のなかで水仕（みずし），雑役を務めた下級の者を御末といい，彼女らがたむろする室も同様に称した。…

※「御末間」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報