Talk:Treason Act 1351

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[edit] "imagine"

compassed or imagined the death of the King, his wife or his eldest son and heir

This section appears to use "imagine" in the now-archaic meaning of "to plan". Is this correct? Since the explanation is translated, anyway, should it be updated?

RandomP 19:32, 13 April 2006 (UTC)

I agree. It's a quote from the Act, but I've made it clearer. Richard75 19:42, 13 April 2006 (UTC)

Thanks!

What's up with the English version, anyway? Which version is legally binding, when was the (original, AIUI) French version translated? I'd google it, but this sounds like too much of an issue where non-experts will make sensationalist claims about an act in French being legally binding, or a translation changing the meaning of the act without passing through the legislature :)

RandomP 22:33, 13 April 2006 (UTC)

I don't know. There was an Act passed (I think in the 19th century) which required everything in court to be said in English instead of Norman French or Latin, but I don't know if that had anything to do with the Treason Act. However the English translation was used in all twentieth century treason trials, including Roger Casement's, and was treated as legally binding. In Casement's appeal his defence rested on the precise meaning of the Act, and the judges even went to look at the original document to check the exact punctuation, so presumably if there was any real difference between the English and French versions his lawyers would have picked up on it. Richard75 11:27, 15 April 2006 (UTC)