Legal Definitions - writ de haeretico comburendo

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.