amercement

A kind of expiation or amercement by fine, known to the Mosaic, Roman, and old English law.

From Colonel Starbottle's Client by Harte, Bret

But it is by no means impossible that the court itself had to decide on the penalty or the amount of the amercement after first making the presentment as to the fact.

From Villainage in England Essays in English Mediaeval History by Vinogradoff, Paul

It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah

The penalty of the breach of the Laws or Customes of this Land is at the pleasure of the Judg, either amercement, or imprisonment, or both.

From An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon in the East Indies Together with an Account of the Detaining in Captivity the Author and Divers other Englishmen Now Living There, and of the Author's Miraculous Escape by Knox, Robert

The first statute of Westminster, passed sixty years after Magna Carta, treats the fine and amercement as synonymous, as follows.

From Essay on the Trial By Jury by Spooner, Lysander