cause of commitment commitment is not properly bailable below), commanding him to take sureties for the prisoner's appearance, usually called mainpernors, and to let him at large. Mainpernors differ from bail, in that a man's bail may imprison or surrender him up before the stipulated day of appearance; mainpernors can do neither, but are barely sureties for his appearance at the day: bail are only sureties for which the parties be answerable for the special matter for which they stipulate, mainpernors are bound to produce him to answer all charges whatever. See HABERAS CORPUS.in Law, bears a near relation to BARBETRY; being an officious intermeddling in a suit that no way belongs to one, by maintaining or afflicting either party with money or otherwise, to prosecute or defend it; a practice that was greatly encouraged by the first introduction of usfs. This is an offence against public justice, as it keeps alive strife and contention, and perverts the remedial process of the law into an engine of oppression. And therefore, by the Roman law, it was a species of the crimen falsi, to enter into any confederacy, or do any act to support another's law suit, by money, witnessefs, or patronage. A man may, however, maintain the suit of his near kinsman, servant, or poor neighbour, out of charity and compassion, with impunity. Otherwise the punishment by common law is fine and imprisonment; and by the statute 32 Henry VIII. c. 9, a forfeiture of 10l.