NOXA

Lat. In the civil law. Thie term denoted any damage or injury done to persons or property by an unlawful act committed by a man's slave or animal. An action for damages lay against the master or owner, who, however, might escape further responsibility by delivering up the offending. agent to the party injured. "No:ca!' was also used as the designation of the offense committed, and of its punishment, and sometimes of the slave or animal doing the damage. Noxa sequitur caput. The injury [t e., liability to make good an injury causPd by a slave] follows the head or person, [i. e., attaches to his master.] Heinecc. Elem. l. 4, t. 8, § 1231. [s. 840]