Also 5 -sidias, 5–7 -sedias, 6 -sedyas, -sideas, 7 -sedæas, -sedies. [L., = you shall desist, 2nd pers. sing. pres. subj. of supersedēre to SUPERSEDE.]
1. Law. A writ commanding the stay of legal proceedings that ought otherwise to have proceeded, or suspending the powers of an officer: so called from the occurrence of the word in the writ.
Clerk of the Supersedeas, an official of the court of common pleas who made out writs of supersedeas.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. III. 187. Somenours and southdenes þat supersedeas takeþ. Ibid., X. 263. The tarre is vntydy þat to þyne sheep by-longeþ, Hure salue ys of supersedeas in someneres boxes.
c. 1400. Pride of Life (Brandl, 1898), 380. Þer [in hell] ne fallit ne maynpris, ne supersidias.
1450. Paston Lett., I. 146. For in a general oyer and termyner a supersedeas may dassh al, and so shall not in a special.
1506. (title), The boke of Iustices of peas the charge with all the process of the cessyons, warrantes supersedyas and all that longyth to ony Iustyce to make.
1591. Lambarde, Archeion (1635), 64. His Supersedeas may not stay a Court of Common Iustice from proceeding.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 224. Vntill the Lord Chanceller doe dissolue the said Commission by a Supersedeas.
1656. T. Forster, Lay-mans Lawyer, To Rdr. The formes of all Mittimusses,… Supersediasses, Certioraries.
1658. Practick Part of Law (ed. 5), 2. The clark of the Supersedeas, who makes Writs to supersede the Outlawing of persons.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 339. The Justices allowed a Supersedeas to stay an Assise, where the Defendant was in the service of the King in his Wars beyond the Seas.
1753. Scots Mag., XV. 63/2. His Majesty granted … a supersedeas of the parliament’s arret.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. ii. 166. By writ of privilege, in the nature of a supersedeas, to deliver the party out of custody when arrested in a civil suit.
1853. T. I. Wharton, Pennsyl. Digest (ed. 6), 221. The effect of a supersedeas lawfully ordered is to annihilate a commission of bankruptcy.
b. More fully, writ of supersedeas.
1454. Rolls of Parlt., V. 239/2. In suche cases as writtes of Supersedeas of Privelegge of Parlement be brought and delivered.
1566. [see SIGNIFY v. 6].
1634–5. Irish Act 10 & 11 Chas. I., c. 10 § 2. His Majesties writs of supersedeas are often-times directed to the justices of peace … requiring them … to forbeare to arrest or imprison the parties aforesaid.
1772. Lond. Chron., 26–28 March, 304/1. His Majesty’s writ of supersedeas was on Tuesday last served on Joseph Greenleaf, Esq; late a Justice of the Peace for the county of Plymouth, requiring him to surcease all further proceedings in that office.
1885. Law Rep. 10 Appeal Cases 226. An averment which required to be proved … by a writ of supersedeas.
c. attrib. and Comb.
c. 1475. Plumpton Corr. (Camden), 30. One which hath bene of old a supersedias mounger.
1710. J. Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Gt. Brit., II. 667*. Supersedeas Office, is in the Poultry-Compter, London.
† 2. fig. Something that stops, stays or checks; const. for, of, to, also from; phr. to give a supersedeas to, to check. Obs.
1555. Act 2 & 3 Phil. & M., c. 18 § 1. Which Commyssions so bearing a later date have been a Supersedeas & clere dischardge unto … the said former Commissions.
1590. Greene, Orl. Fur. (1599), B j b. To set a Supersedeas of my wrath.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvi. 157. A Supersedias for her loue was euery new-come frend.
a. 1610. Babington, Wks. (1622), II. 127. Sweet Death is a Supersedeas for all [sc. diseases].
1619. W. Y., To Rdr., in Hieron’s Wks., II. 428. That will be no Supersedeas into them from death.
1642. D. Rogers, Naaman, 58. If God had not discharged him from it by a Supersedeas to his ordinary Charge.
1654. Hammond, Fundamentals, xii. § 10. To intermit our watch, to slacken our diligence, to give a Supersedeas to industrie.
1662. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., verse 18. I. i. § 1 (1679), 337/1. Neither Gods promise, nor Abrahams faith thereon gave any Supersedeas to his duty in prayer.
1686–7. P. Henry, Diaries & Lett. (1882), 354. If your Gown had been burnt, it might have been lookt upon as a tacit super Sedæas to your further progress in those studyes.
1737. L. Clarke, Hist. Bible (1740), II. 208. Saul with joy receives this Supersedeas of the Sanhedrim’s commission by a divine command.
Hence † Supersedeate v. trans., to stop the procedure of, countermand.
1641. Prynne, Antipathie, 44. Requiring him to supersedeate his Mandates.
