PRAEMUNIRE

In English law. The name of an offense against the king and his government though not subject to capital punishment. So called from the words of the writ which issued preparatory to the prosecution: “Praemunire facias A. B. quod sit coram nobis” etc.; “Cause A. B. to be forewarned that he appear before us to answer the contempt with which he stands charged.” The statutes establishing this offense, the flrst of which was made in the thirty-first year of the reign of Edward I., were framed to encounter the papal usurpations In England; the original meaning of the offense called “praemunire” being the introduction of a foreign power into the kingdom, and creating imperium in imperio, by paying that obedience to papal process which constitutionally belonged to the king alone. The penalties of praemunire were afterwards applied to other heinous offenses. 4 Bl. Comm. 103-117; 4 Steph. Comm. 215-217.