Booty v. Barnaby is the name of an English court case in 1687, in which a Mrs Booty brought a suit for slander against her neighbour, Captain Barnaby, who claimed that he had seen her deceased husband being driven into Hell.
On May 12, 1687, Captains Barnaby, Bristow and Brewer with Mr Ball, a merchant of Wentworth, went to go shooting on Stromboli,[Notes 1] aboard the Spinks.
Later, as they prepared to leave on the 15th, they saw two men running and Capt Barnaby cried out, "Lord bless me!
After some discourse, Capt Barnaby's wife said "I can tell you some news, old Booty is dead."
The Judge asked Mrs Booty what time her husband died.