amercement

It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary.

Similarly at Worcester the “tensures” shared with the citizens the right to the assistance of the afferors in cases of wrongful or excessive amercement.

There were special privileges surrounding tenancies of these lands, such as freedom from tolls and duties, exemption from danegeld and amercement, from sitting on juries, &c.

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.

Of which amercements, or ransoming of bondmen, some lords’ stewards say that it is rightful, forasmuch as a churl hath no temporal thing that is not his lord’s, as they say.