Pleas of the crown (Eng. Law), criminal actions.
Pleach (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleached (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Pleaching.] [Cf. OF. plaissier to bend, and also F. plisser to plait,
L. plicare, plicitum, to fold, lay, or wind together. Cf. Plash to
pleach.] To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to
interlock. "The pleached bower." Shak.
Plead (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleaded (colloq. Plead (?) or Pled); p.
pr. & vb. n. Pleading.] [OE. pleden, plaiden, OF. plaidier, F. plaider,
fr. LL. placitare, fr. placitum. See Plea.] 1. To argue in support of a
claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for
or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or
supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life
of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father.
O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for
his neighbor!
Job xvi. 21.
2. (Law) To present an answer, by allegation of fact, to the
declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and
demand, or to allege facts which show that ought not to recover in the
suit; in a less strict sense, to make an allegation of fact in a cause;
to carry on the allegations of the respective parties in a cause; to
carry on a suit or plea. Blackstone. Burrill. Stephen.