in general, signifies much the same with protecting, or keeping off injuries offered to any person either by enemies or otherwise.

in our ancient laws and statutes, signifies to prohibit or forbid: as, Ufuarios defendit quaeque rex Edwardus ne remanentur in regno. L. L. Edw. Conf. c. 37. & 5 Rich. 2. c. 7. In which sentence Chaucer also uses it in the following passage:

"Where can you say in any manner age, "That ever God defended marriage."

In 7 Edw. I. there is a statute, intitled, "Statutum de defendone pertandi arma," &c. And "it is defended by law to distrain on the highway;" Coke on Littl. fol. 161.