noun
definition
A non-statutory monetary penalty or forfeiture.
Examples of amercement in a Sentence
When a person who was accused of any crime was not forthcoming, inquiry was made whether he was in frankpledge; if he were not, and had no right of exemption, the township was amerced, but if he were in a tithing,-then it was upon the tithing that the amercement fell.
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. Hence, the phrase "ancient demesne" came to be applied to the tenure by which the lands were held.
The parties quitclaimed all actions against each other, after which the defendant paid a fine of 40d for the amercement.