TRUCE

(Mod. Lat. treuga, from the Teutonic treue, truth.) An agreement between states, or those representing them, for the suspension of hostilities. Such an agreement, when made by officers of the state in the general exercise of their duty, and not authorized for the purpose expre ly, or by nece ary implification, ranks among that cla of conventions which jurists term sponsions, and which are binding only if ratified. {See Sponsion.) A general armistice or truce differs from a partial, which is limited to particular places; as between two armies, or between a besieged fortre and the besieging army. The former, in general, requires ratification: power to include the latter is held to be implied in the general authority of military and naval officers. (See Vattel, book iii. ch. 16.; Wheat on on International Law, vol.ii.) TRUCE OF GOD, Treuga Dei. A suspension oi arms, which occasionally took place in the middle ages, I putting a stop to private hostilities. The right to engage I in these hostilities was jealously maintained by the inferior feudatories of the several monarchies of Europe. But it was restrained by the repeated promulgation of these truces, under the authority of the church. Thus, in the 4M [s. 1278]