1. Law. The person vouched or summoned into court to give warranty of a title. Common vouchee: (see quot. 1766).
1485. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 293/2. The said Recoveries and Judgments…, and the Vouchees in the same and theire heires.
1531. Dial. on Laws Eng., II. i. F i b. And that vouche shal appere, and the demaundantes shall declare agaynst hym.
1594. West, 2nd Pt. Symbol., § 52. A fine betweene the vouchee and the demaundant is good,… for that the vouchee is as it were tenant in law.
1607. Cowell, Interpreter, s.v., The party that voucheth in this case, is called the Tenent, the partie vouched is tearmed the Vouchee.
1625. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 372. In an assise of nouell disseisin and nusance, voucher lyeth not, vnlesse the vouchee be present in Court, and will by and by enter into warrantie.
1653. in Somers, Tracts, I. 503. By any Recovery or Recoveries had against him as Tenant or as Vouchee in any common Recovery.
1752. McDouall, Inst. Law Scot., II. 244. The writ is brought against the tenant in tail himself, who vouches the common vouchee.
1766. Blackstone, Comm., II. 353. Upon this, Jacob Morland, the vouchee, appears, is impleaded, and defends the title. Ibid., 359. The cryer of the court (who, from being frequently thus vouched, is called the common vouchee).
1802–12. Bentham, Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827), V. 492. A … man of straw, under some such name as that of the common witness, or common vouchee.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), V. 451. Because the wife was named … and appeared and vouched as joint tenant; and the vouchee entered into the warranty, admitting that he ought to warrant to them.
1875. [see VOUCH v. 1].
2. A person cited or appealed to as an authority for some fact or statement, or in evidence of some assertion. Occas. common vouchee, after prec.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 29. His Vouchee, Autor, or Advocate (cal him wnich you please …).
1673. Hickman, Quinquart. Hist., 439. Making also the immortal Grotius his Vouchee for this opinion.
1809. Mar. Edgeworth, Manœuvring, xiv. He had wisely determined to obtain accurate and positive evidence from Captain Lightbody, who seemed in this case to be the common vouchee.
1851. Fraser’s Mag., XLIII. 271. Some respectable names are occasionally attached as vouchees.
1890. Pall Mall G., 23 June, 3/1. Poor Nausicaa! She is the common vouchee of every writer on every game of ball.
† b. A fact or circumstance cited in evidence or justification. Obs. rare.
1657. W. Morice, Coena quasi Κοινὴ, Pref. 8. Importunity of friends (the common vouchee to warrant publications).
1665. Glanvill, Scepsis Sci., Addr. p. xi. Conceiving Reason and Philosophy sufficient vouchees of Licentious practices.
† 3. An avouchment or assertion. Obs. rare.
1625. Bp. Mountagu, App. Cæsar., 119. It insisteth but upon some points only; and that not by or with a generall vouchee neither, but thus only, I see no cause. Ibid. (a. 1641), Acts & Mon. (1642), 256. Of what credit or authority this his vouchee is, I cannot tell.
