Financial Dictionary

WRIT DE HAERETICO COMBURENDO - Engl. law. The name of a writ formerly issued by the secular courts, when a man was turned over to them by the ecclesiastical tribunals, after having been condemned for heresy.

It was founded on the statute 2 Hen. IV.; it was first used, A. D. 1401, and as late as the year 1611. By virtue of this writ, the unhappy man against whom it was issued, was burned to death.