Legal Definitions - witepenny

Definition: Witepenny is a term used in early English law to refer to money paid as a penalty or fine.

Example: If someone committed a crime in early England, they might have to pay a witepenny as punishment. For example, if someone stole a sheep, they might have to pay a witepenny to the owner of the sheep as compensation.

The example illustrates how witepenny was used as a form of punishment or compensation in early English law. It was a way to make someone pay for their wrongdoing and make amends for any harm they caused.