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]