PRAEDIUM RUSTICUM, civil law. By this is understood all heritages whicb are not destined1 for the use of man's habitation; such, for example, as lands, meadows, orchards2, gardens, woods, even though they should be within the boundaries of a city.
PRAEDIUM SERVIENS, Civil law. The name of an estate which suffers or yields a service to another estate.
PRAEDIUM URBANUM, civil law. By this term is understood buildings and edifices3 intended for the habitation and use of man, whether they be built in cities or whether they be constructed in the country.
PRAEFECTUS VIGILUM, Roman civ. law. The chief officer of the night watch. His jurisdiction4 extended to certain offences affecting the public peace; and even to larcenies5. But he could inflict6 only slight punishments.
PRAEMUNIRE. In older to prevent the pope from assuming the supremacy7 in granting ecclesiastical livings, a number of statutes8 were made in England during the reigns9 of Edward I., and his successors, punishing certain acts of submission10 to the papal authority, therein mentioned. In the writ11 for the execution of these statutes, the words praemunire facias, being used, to command a citation12 of the party, gave not only to the writ, but to the offence itself, of maintaining the papal power, the name of praemunire. Co. Lit. 129; Jacob's L. D. h. t.
PRAETOR, Roman civil law. A municipal officer of Rome, so called because, he went before or took precedence of the people. The consuls13 were at first called praetors. Liv. Hist. III. 55. He was a sort of minister of justice, invested with certain legislative14 powers, especially in regard to the forms or formalities of legal proceedings15. Ordinarily, be aid not decide causes as a judge, but prepared the grounds of decision for the judge and sent to, him the questions to be decided16 between the parties. The judge was always chosen by the parties, either directly, or by rejecting, under certain rules and limitations, the persons proposes to them by the praetor. Hence the saying of Cicero, that no one could be judged except by a judge of his own choice. There were several kinds of officers called proctors. See Vicat, Vocab.
2. Before entering on his functions he published an edict announcing the system adopted by him for the application and interpretation17 of the laws during his magistracy. His authority extended over all jurisdictions18, and was summarily expressed by the word do, dico, addico, i, e. do I give the action, dico I declare the law, I promulgate19 the edict, addico I invest the judge with the right of judging. There were certain cases which he was bound to decide himself, assisted by a council chosen by himself perhaps the Decemvirs. But the greater part of causes brought before him, be sent either to a judge, an arbitrator, or to recuperators, or to the centumvirs, as before stated. Under the empire the powers of the praetor passed by degrees to the praefect of the praetorium, or the praefect of the city; so that this magistrate20, who at first ranked with the consuls, at last dwindled21 into a director or manager of the public spectacles or games.
3. Till lately, there were officers in certain cities of Germany denominated praetors Vide 1 Kent, Com. 528.
