in the civil law, is defined by Hottman to be a rescript, or answer of the sovereign, delivered by advice of his council, to some college, order, or body of people, upon consulting him on some case of their community. The like answer given to any particular person, is called simply rescript. The term pragmatic sanction, is chiefly applied to a settlement of Charles VI. emperor of Germany, who, in the year 1722, having no sons, settled his hereditary dominions on his eldest daughter, the archduchess Maria Theresa which was confirmed by the diet of the empire, and guaranteed by Great Britain, France, the States general, and most of the powers in Europe.

PRÆCEPTIO HEREDITATIS, in Scots law. See Law, Tit. xxvii. 33.