Legal Definitions - de pace et plagis

De pace et plagis is a historical legal term originating from medieval English law. It translates from Law Latin as "of breach of peace and wounds." This term refers to a specific type of criminal complaint or appeal that an individual could bring before a court.

Essentially, if someone had been assaulted, physically injured (wounded), or if their personal safety and public order had been disturbed, they could initiate a de pace et plagis appeal. It served as a formal legal mechanism for victims to accuse another party of offenses that violated the king's peace and caused bodily harm, seeking justice or redress.

• Example 1: Imagine a heated argument between two farmers at a local market that escalates into a physical fight. One farmer strikes the other with a wooden staff, causing a deep gash on their arm and significant bruising. The injured farmer could have historically brought a de pace et plagis appeal against their assailant.

  This example illustrates the term because the incident involved both a clear "breach of the peace" (the public disturbance and physical altercation in the market) and "wounds" (the gash and bruising sustained by the victim), making it a suitable case for this type of legal action.

• Example 2: Consider a situation where a traveler is ambushed on a public road by a highwayman, who not only robs them but also physically assaults them, leaving the traveler with a broken rib and several lacerations. Upon reaching safety, the traveler seeks legal recourse.

  Here, a de pace et plagis appeal would be highly relevant. The attack constituted a severe "breach of the peace" by disrupting public safety and order on a common thoroughfare, and the traveler suffered significant "wounds" (the broken rib and lacerations), directly aligning with the scope of this historical legal complaint.