Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A writ de haeretico comburendo was a legal order in medieval England that allowed for the execution by burning of a person convicted of heresy, which means having beliefs that go against the teachings of the Church. This writ was issued by the king and was only used in cases where the convicted person refused to change their beliefs or was convicted of heresy again after recanting. The first English law against heresy was passed in 1401, which authorized the burning of defendants who refused to abandon their heretical opinions.
Definition: A writ ordering the execution by burning of a convicted heretic who refused to recant, or was convicted of heresy again after recanting.
Example: The writ de haeretico comburendo was first used in England in 1401 when a law was passed that authorized the burning of defendants who refused to abandon their heretical opinions.
Explanation: The writ de haeretico comburendo was a legal document that allowed the execution of heretics who refused to recant their beliefs. It was used in England during the Middle Ages and was often issued by the king or a provincial synod. The example illustrates how the writ was used to enforce the law against heresy and punish those who refused to conform to the established religious beliefs of the time.