praemunire

[ pree-myoo-nahy-ree ]

noun

, English Law.

1. a writ charging the offense of resorting to a foreign court or authority, as that of the pope, and thus calling in question the supremacy of the English crown.
2. the offense.
3. the penalty of forfeiture, imprisonment, outlawry, etc., incurred.

praemunire

/ ˌpriːmjʊˈnaɪərɪ /

noun

1. a writ charging with the offence of resorting to a foreign jurisdiction, esp to that of the Pope, in a matter determinable in a royal court
2. the statute of Richard II defining this offence

Word History and Origins

Origin of praemunire¹

1375–1425; short for Medieval Latin praemūnīre faciās (for Latin praemonēre faciās that you cause (the person specified) to be forewarned), the operative words of the writ; praemūnīre to warn ( Latin: protect, literally, fortify); replacing late Middle English premunire facias < Medieval Latin, as above. See prae-, muniment

Word History and Origins

Origin of praemunire¹

C14: from the Medieval Latin phrase (in the text of the writ) praemūnīre faciās, literally: that you cause (someone) to be warned in advance, from Latin praemūnīre to fortify or protect in front, from prae in front + mūnīre to fortify; in Medieval Latin the verb was confused with Latin praemonēre to forewarn

Example Sentences

The use of Praemunire had been applied to Wolsey; laymen had supplanted ecclesiastics in the chief offices of state; the plan of getting a divorce without papal intervention had been the original idea, which Wolsey had induced the king to abandon, and it had been revived by Cranmer’s suggestion about the universities.

From Project Gutenberg

They were finally convicted of an offence against the Statute of Praemunire, and condemned to forfeit their estates, receiving a small maintenance from the parliament.

From Project Gutenberg

Illegal imprisonment beyond seas renders the offender liable in an action by the injured party to treble costs and damages to the extent of not less than �500, besides subjecting him to the penalties of praemunire and to other disabilities.

From Project Gutenberg

On the 15th of March 1672 Charles II. issued his declaration suspending the penal laws in ecclesiastical matters, and shortly afterwards, by pardon under the great seal, he released nearly 500 Quakers from prison, remitted their fines and released such of their estates as were forfeited by praemunire.

From Project Gutenberg

All forfeitures and escheats with respect to conviction and attainder for treason and felony were abolished as from the 4th of July 1870, except forfeitures consequent upon the now disused process of outlawry, and the forfeitures included in the penalties of praemunire.

From Project Gutenberg