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Fire and Sword

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Letters of fire and sword. If a criminal resisted the law and refused to answer his citation, it was accounted treason in the Scottish courts; and “letters of fire and sword” were sent to the sheriff, authorising him to use either or both these instruments to apprehend the contumacious party.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Fire Away!
Fire First
Fire-balloon
Fire-brand
Fire-drake or Fire-dragon
Fire-eaters
Fire-new
Fire-ship
Fire Up (To)
Fire Worship
Fire and Sword
Fire and Water
Firm as a Rock
First-class Hard Labour
First-fruits
First Water
First Gentleman of Europe
First Grenadier of France
First Stroke is Half the Battle
Fish
Fish