amercement
/əˈməːsmənt
/noun English Law, historical
A fine: courts continued to impose small amercements [mass noun]: default resulted in heavy amercement...
- Justice, for example, a major source of royal income by the end of the twelfth century, could be exploited in this way because a large number of people existed to pay fines and amercements.
- In other actions the unsuccessful party has to pay an amercement for making an unjust, or resisting a just claim; the defendant found guilty of trespass is fined and imprisoned.
- The tenant is also to receive a serious amercement for his trespass in disobeying the bailiffs.
Derivatives
amerce
/ verb ...- Many archaic French usages continue in the legal usage of England, such as: amerce, implead, malfeasance, tort.
- If the bailiffs find anyone in contravention of this, or if any reputable man makes a complaint about such an offence, and the accused is convicted then he must be heavily amerced by the bailiffs and any complainant is to be awarded damages.
- In 1309 he was amerced by the leet court for using non-standard measures to sell goods.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French amerciment, based on estre amercie 'be at the mercy of another' (with respect to the amount of a fine), from a merci 'at (the) mercy'.