lese majesty

It was further ordained under pain of lese majesty, that no true and faithful lieges taken by these men should be holden to enter to them, all bonds to the contrary notwithstanding.

"Here I was going to be shot at sunrise for this 'lese majesty' business, and now in only an hour I have a chance to make the capture of my young life!"

His father was what you call an agitator, and his father was in jail for lese majesty—what you call speaking the truth about the Emperor.