Amebce

i To be amerced, or d mercie, is to be at the king's mercy with respect to a fine to be imposed. Later, simply to be fined. Whence amercement. Before the jury deliver their verdict the plaintiff is to appear in court, by himself or attorney, to answer the amercement to which he is liable in case he fails in his suit, as a punishment for his false claim. The amercement is disused, but the form remains. It was an arbitrary amount, unliquidated; u "fine" was a fixed sum imposed upon one not a party for some fault or misconduct." Now used of a mulct or penalty imposed by a court upon its owh ofiicers for neglect of duty. In several States, also, amercement is the remedy against a sheriff for failing to levy an execution or make return of proceeds of a sale according to statute.'