Clergyman found guilty of barratry (1594)

Post date: Jan 16, 2013 4:18:37 PM

At quarter sessions of Michaelmas 1594 found that

Thos. Brand of Wateringbury, clerk, is a common barrator and disturber of the peace QM/SI/1594/5/6 1 Sept 1594

Anna, wife of Thos. Brand for the same QM/SI/1594/5/7 1 Sept 1594

The indictments did not seem to do any harm to his clerical career as he became vicar of Wateringbury in 1598 (until 1619). A barrator is someone guilty of barratry, a legal term with several meanings. It can refer to (Wikipedia):

• Barratry (common law), litigation for the purpose of harassment or profit

• Barratry can refer to a lawyer seeking clients at a disaster site, which is also known as Ambulance chasing

• Barratry (admiralty law), misconduct by crew of a ship resulting in its damage

• Barratry also refers to the secular version of Simony