MAIEM, or Mayhem, in law, a wound by which a person loses the use of a member that might have been a defence to him; as when a bone is broken, a foot, hand, or other member cut off, or an eye put out; though the cutting off an ear or nose, or breaking the hinder-teeth, was formerly held to be no maim. A maim by calibration was anciently punished with death, and other maims with loss of member for member; but afterwards they were only punished by fine and imprisonment. It is now enacted by the statute 22 & 23 Car. II. that if any person, from malice, aforethought, shall disable any limb or member of any of the king's subjects with an intent to disfigure him, the offender, with his aiders and abettors, shall be guilty of felony without benefit of clergy; though no factreattainer shall corrupt the blood, or occasion forfeiture of lands, &c.