DE MERCATORIBUS
de mercatoribus (dee m<<schwa>>r-k<<schwa>>-tor-<<schwa>>-b<<schwa>>s), n.[Latin
“of merchants”] Hist. The title of two statutes enacted in the 11th and 13th years of the reign of
Edward I, providing that the land of a business debtor could be held by a creditor as security until
the debt was paid.
“But by the statute de mercatoribus… the whole of a man’s lands was liable to be pledged in a
statute merchant, for a debt contracted in trade; though one-half of them was liable to be taken in
execution for any other debt of the owner.” 1 William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of
England 161 (1765). [Blacks Law 8th]