barrator

1) A ‘common’ barrator was a person who was given to quarrelling or to inciting disputes and law-suits.

c.1535 wythowt that the sayd complenant ys a Common baratrour [sic] or yet a maker of assaltes and Frays, Tadcaster

1598 Matheus Hopey nuper de Yeadon. ... fuit & adhuc est co[mmun]is Barrectator

1638 Richard Wilson ... a common Barretor ... committed to gaole, Bradford. The offence was called barratry: 1607 for barratry and promoting of strife, quarrels ... and as a fighter in church, West Appleton.

spellings barratry
dates 1535 1598 1607 1638

Related Content Loading...

Photo by Kreuzschnabel CC BY-SA 3.0