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, Usuarii defendit quoque rex Edwardus ne remanerent 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 defendeth marriage."

In 7 Edw. I. there is a statute intitled, "Statutum de defendione portandi arma," &c. And "it is defended by law to distain on the highway;" Coke on Littleton, fol. 161.