LAVURE, Fr. the grains, dust, or detached pieces of metal which fall in casting cannon.
LAUREL, a shrub which is always green.
To be crowned with laurels, a figurative expression, signifying that a man has atchieved glorious actions, and is entitled to marks of public distinction. In ancient times heroes and conquerors had their heads encircled with a wreath of laurels.
LAURES, gold coins which were issued from the English mint in 1619, representing the head of king James I. encircled with laurels.
LAW of arms, certain acknowleged rules, regulations, and precepts, which relate to war, and are observed by all civilized nations.
Laws of arms are likewise certain precepts shewing how to proclaim war, to attack the enemy, and to punish offenders in the camp; also restricting the contending parties from certain cruelties, &c.
Law military. The persons who are subject to military law, and are amenable to trial by court martial, are in the terms of military law, all persons commissioned or in pay, as officers, non-commissioned officers, private soldiers, and all followers of an army. Half pay officers are not subject to military law, whilst civil justice can be resorted to.
Laws relating to martial affairs. The following laws existed during the most flourishing state of the Roman commonwealth. We insert them in this place as by no means being inapplicable to the present times.
Secreta Lex Militaris, which was promulgated about the year 411, ordained, that no soldier’s name which had been entered in the muster roll, should be struck out, unless by the party’s consent; and that no person who had been military tribune should execute the office of ductor ordinum. Sempronia lex, which appeared in the year 630, ordained, that the soldiers should receive their pay gratis at the public charge, without any diminution of their ordinary pay; and that none should be obliged to serve in the army, who was not full seventeen years old. Sulpicia lex, which was made in 665, ordained, that the chief command in the Mithridatic war, which was then enjoyed by L. Sylla, should be taken from him, and conferred on C. Marius.
Gabinia lex appeared in 685, ordaining that a commission should be granted to Cn. Pompey, for the management of the war against the pirates for three years, with this particular clause, that upon all the sea on this side Hercules’s pillars, and in the maritime provinces, as far as 400 stadia from the sea, he should be empowered to command kings, governors, and states to supply him with all the necessaries in his expedition.