the offense called “prcemunire” being the introduction of a foreign power into the king- dom, and creating imperium in impcrio, by paying that obedience to papal process which constitutionally belonged to the king alone. The penalties of praemunire were afterwards applied to other heinous offenses. 4 BL Comm. 103-117; 4 Steph. Comm. 215-217.
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
