Translated Cambridge University Latin court records reveal illegal 'turd in thy teeth’ insult

Telling someone they had "a turd in their teeth" or suggesting their wife had had sex before marriage were once punishable offences, newly-translated Cambridge court records reveal.

The Latin records date from the 16th Century when the university courts tried some cases in the city. About 4,000 cases have been summarised so far as part of an online project.



Cambridge University's Chancellor's Court had wide-ranging powers during the 16th and 17th Centuries for criminal and civil cases as well as ecclesiastical matters.

Archivist Jacky Cox worked for a year to summarise a selection of the papers and put them online.