in general, signifies much the same with pro- tecting or warding off injuries offered to any person either by enemies or otherwise.

in our ancient laws and statutes, signifies to prohibit or forbid; as Usurarii defendit quique rex Ed- wardus ne remonerent in regno. L. L. Edw. Conf. c. 38, and 5 Rich. II. c. 7. In this sense Chaucer also uses the following passage:

Where can you say in any manner, age, That ever God defended marriage. In 7 Edward I. there is a statute entitled "Statutum de defensione portandi arma," &c. And "it is defended by law to distrain on the highway."