> as lemmas

1533 T. More Apologye xiii f.93^v Yf matyr so were, that one..go forth and say that he had parted a fray, & pacyfyed the parties.

c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme cvii. 83 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 173 Of Seas and winds he partes the fight.

1600 W. Shakespeare Much Ado about Nothing v. i. 114 Welcome signior, you are almost come to parte almost a fray . View more context for this quotation

1698 J. Fryer New Acct. E.-India & Persia 46 The Vice-Admiral..left not off till Night parted the Fray.

1709 H. Chandler Effort against Biggotry (ed. 2) Ded. sig. A 2^v When I first ventur'd it abroad in the World, I expected the Fate that usually attends such as attempt to part a Fray, even to be box'd on both Ears.

1750 W. McFarlane Geneal. Coll. (1900) II. 31 He was killed..as he was parting a Fray and redding a Pley.

1832 L. Hunt Gentle Armourer ii, in Poet. Wks. (1860) 61 The monarch was about to part the fight when..sore passion seized the knight.

1961 Stud. Eng. Lit. 1500–1900 1 57 He is comparing Saint-German's method to one parting a fight between two men by slapping one while merely restraining another.