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

our ancient laws and statutes, signifies to prohibit or forbid: as Ufuaris defendit quoque rex Edwardus ne remanerent in regno. L. L. Edw. Conf. c. 38. & 5 Rich 2. c. 7. In which sense Chaucer also uses it in the following passage:

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

In 7 Edw. I. there is a statute entitled, "Statutum de Defendant defende portandi arma," &c. And "it is defended by law to distrain on the highway;" Coke on Litl. fol. 161.