abigeus

plural abigei

1. UKobsoletelawA thief who steals livestock in large quantities.

   The stealing of a single horse or ox might make a man an abigeus, but it seems that the crime could not be committed on less than four pigs or ten sheep.

   1883, A history of the criminal law of England - Volume 1, page 27

   2 more examples

   In the Civil Law, he was accounted an Abigeus who carried off one Horse or one Ox, or four Swine or ten Sheep; if he took a smaller Number of Swine or Sheep, he was reckoned a Fur rather than an Abigeus.

   1730, Institutions of the Criminal Law of Scotland, page 127

   It is obvious why the thief of only one domestic animal was not treated so severely as an abigeus. The reason for the severe punishment of rustlers, abigei, was the need of a stronger protection for agricultural interest, particularly in countries where these offenses were more frequent.

   1943, Seminar: Annual Extraordinary Number of The Jurist