AMERCE
amerce (<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>rs), vb.1. To impose a fine or penalty that is not fixed but
is left to the court’s discretion; to punish by amercement. 2. To fine or punish in any manner. —
amerceable (<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>r-s<< schwa>>-b<<schwa>>l), amerciable
(<<schwa>>-m<<schwa>>r-see-<<schwa>>-b<< schwa>>l), adj.
“There were two more aspects to this financial scheme of permitting suitors to use the royal
courts — for a con-sideration. The practice developed of ‘amercing’ or fining those who were ‘in
the mercy of the king’ because they had put forward a false claim, or had made a false defense. In
other words the loser of the suit had to pay a fine for his supposedly unjust effort to deny or resist
the claim of his opponent.” Charles Herman Kinnane, A First Book on Anglo-American Law 272
(2d ed. 1952). [Blacks Law 8th]