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 Uffarios defendit quoque rex Edwardus ne remanerent in regno. L. L. Edw. Conf. c. 38. &c 5 Rich. 2. c. 7. In which sense 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 entitled, "Statutum de defensione portandi arma," &c. And "it is defended by law to distrain on the highway." Coke on Littl. fol. 161.