Permittimus

Permittimus is a Latin legal term meaning “we permit.” It appeared as the introductory formula on official writs and charters in medieval and early modern law, especially in jurisdictions that used Latin for formal documents. The phrase signified that the issuing authority granted permission for a described action.

Usage and scope: In practice, permittimus was used in royal writs, commissions, and other instruments to authorize procedures by officers of the Crown or by courts. The precise action authorized could vary, but the common function was to convey official permission to proceed with a specified matter, such as an arrest, examination, delivery, release, or other legal action.

Etymology and form: The term derives from Latin permittere, “to allow.” The form permittimus is the first-person plural present indicative. In many documents, permittimus occurs alongside a descriptive clause naming the action and the parties involved.

Modern usage: Today permittimus is primarily of historical and philological interest, encountered in studies of Latin legal formulae, medieval law, and archival documents. It is not part of modern statutory language, though it can appear in translations of historic texts or in Latin headers in legal archives.