There would seem to be some reason in allowing defendants to defend themselves, at their own charges, without exposing themselves to amercement in case of failure.
But it is not likely that the losing party was subjected to an amercement as a matter of course, but only in those cases where the injustice of his cause was so evident as to make him inexcusable in bringing it before the courts.
The first statute of Westminster, passed sixty years after Magna Carta, treats the fine and amercement as synonymous, as follows.
And in many other statutes passed after Magna Carta, the terms fine and amercement seem to be used indifferently, in prescribing the punishments for offences.
The fixing or assessment of an amercement was termed an affeerment.
No amercement shall be imposed upon a cleric's lay tenement, except in the manner of the other persons aforesaid, and without regard to the value of his ecclesiastical benefice.
If any one happen to fall into my amercement he may be reasonably fined by my bailiff and the faithful burgesses of the court.
It is quite possible, again, that the amercement was imposed on the advice or by a decision of certain suitors singled out from the rest as persons of special credit, as in a case from the same manorial rolls of Bec[811].
But it is by no means impossible that the court itself had to decide on the penalty or the amount of the amercement after first making the presentment as to the fact.
He had given trouble, he had disturbed, he had broke the peace of his lord the king, and for those offences an amercement was thought due.
There would seem to be some reason in allowing defendants to defend themselves, at their own charges, without exposing themselves to amercement in case of failure.
Now therefore bring ye forth 535 Helen with all her treasures, also bring Such large amercement as is meet, a sum To be remember'd in all future times.
After the authority of the sovereign, too, was thoroughly established, the person found guilty, over and above the satisfaction which he was obliged to make to the party, was likewise forced to pay an amercement to the sovereign.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "amercement" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
