Middle English Dictionary Entry
mercīen v.(2)
Entry Info
| Forms | mercīen v.(2) Also merci(e, mercs; p.ppl. mercied, imercid. |
| Etymology | AF mercier & AL merciāre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. amercen & merci n.(2).
1.
To levy fines; fine (sb.).
Associated quotations
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)5490 : Ȝyf þou haue be so coueytous To mercs [vr. mercye; F en merciant] men ouer outraious, And pore men specyaly..Þy mercyment shal be ful hard.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.112 : Who þat was gilty..Mercied was [F est..amercye] fulle hi.
- a1425 PPl.C (Lond-U V.88)9.37 : Mercien [Hnt: Whenne ȝe amercyn eny man, let mercy be taxour].
- (1472) Doc.in Sur.Soc.8526 : Item, we say yt Thomas Smythe maid afray of Cransfeld and drwe blud on hym; we mercy hym vj d.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)237/26 : Þe foreseyde abbas sholde be I-mercyd for þe false clayme a-geynste þe foreseyd Roger beuchampe.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)79b : To Mercy: Amerciare.