Caput

In Civil Law. Status; a person's civil condition. According to the Roman law, three elements concurred to form the status or caput of the citizen, namely, liberty, libertas, citizenship, civitas, and family, familia. At Common Law. A head. Chiefly used in phrases, thus: Caput comitatis, the head of the county; the sheriff; the king.

Spelman.

Caput anni, the beginning of the year.

Cowell.

Caput legis, a head of the law; caput villae, the chief man of a town; caput feudi vel terrae, the head or chief lord of lands hald by feudal tenure; caput baroniae, the castle, manor house, or chief seat of a baron. Bracton, fol.

76b.

CAPUT LUPINUM (Lat.) Having a wolf's head. Outlaws were anciently said to have caput lupinum, and might be killed by any one who met them.

4 Bl. Comm. 320.

In the reign of Edward III. this power was restricted to the sheriff when armed with lawful process, and this power, even, has long since disappeared, the process of outlawry being resorted to merely as a means of compelling an appearance.

Co. Litt. 128b; 3 Bl; Comm. 284.