bed of justice

English

Etymology

Calque of French lit de justice.

Noun

bed of justice (plural beds of justice)

1. (history) A special parliamentary session headed by the king in pre-Revolutionary France, where royal edicts could be forcibly registered.
   • 1866, Charles Duke Yonge, The History of France under the Bourbons, pages 43–4:

     when [...] he himself announced that the king would hold a Bed of Justice to compel the instant registration of the necessary edicts, the Parliament became more exasperated than ever.

   • 1949, Rafael Sabatini, The Gamester, Stratus Books 2001, p. 137:

     D'Argenson was prepared with advice. ‘A bed of justice will suffice, Highness.’