phr. (old).—False dice: so constructed that the quatre and trois were seldom cast: cf. FULLAMS, HIGH-MEN, LOW-MEN, etc.
1602. DEKKER, The Honest Whore, ii. [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED) iii. 437]. I have suffered your tongue, like a BARD CATER TRA, to run all this while, and have not stopt it.
c. 1608. ROWLANDS, The Letting of Humours Blood in the Head Vaine, &c., Satyre 3.
| He hath a Stocke whereon his liuing stayes, | |
| And they are Fullams, and BARDQUARTER-TRAYES. |
1612. The Art of Juggling, C, 4. Such be also call’d bard cater treas, because commonly the longer end will of his own sway drawe downewards, and turne up to the eie sice, sincke, deuce, or ace. The principal use of them is at Novum, for so long a paire of bard cater treas be walking on the bourd, so long can ye not cast five nor nine unless it be by a great chance.
1630. TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), The Travels of Twelvepence, 73.
| Where fullam high and low men bore great sway, | |
| With the quicke helpe of a BARD CATER TREY. |
