Obs. exc. Hist. Also 6–9 battler, 7 batler. [f. BATTEL v. + -ER1.] lit. One who battels in college; formerly, a rank or order of students at Oxford below Commoners.
1604. Middleton, Black Bk., Wks. V. 544. Pierce Pennyless, exceeding poor scholar, that hath made clean shoes in both universities, and been a pitiful battler all thy lifetime.
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., I./277. Thomas Floyd … became a Batler or Commoner of New Inn in the beginning of 1589.
1715. Mem. J. Radcliffe, 4. Resided as a Battler, a Condition of Life there, between a Commoner and a Servitor.
1736. Bailey, Batteler (in an University), a Student that battles or goes on Score for his Diet.
1744. Salmon, Pres. State of Univ., I. 422–3. Undergraduates consisting of Noblemen, Gentlemen-Commoners, Commoners, Scholars of the Foundation, Exhibitioners, Battlers and Servitors….
The Commoners I presume are so called from their commoning together, and having a certain Portion of Meat and Drink provided for them, denominated Commons…. The Battlers are entitled to no Commons, but purchase their Meat and Drink of the Cook and Butler, unless they serve a Fellow or Gentleman Commoner, and then they may have the Dishes, which come from their Tables with some other small Perquisites.
Of these Battlers, some are Servitors, who attend the Bachelors and Commoners in the Hall, for which they have an Allowance.
1814. Chalmers, Hist. Univ. Oxf., II. 238. In 1665 he was admitted a Batteler of University College.
1824. Heber, Jer. Taylor, I. 24. John entered in the year 1613, as battler, or poor scholar, of Merton College.
