Legal Definitions - arresto facto super bonis mercatorum alienigenorum

Arresto facto super bonis mercatorum alienigenorum is a Latin term that means "seizure of the goods of foreign merchants." It refers to a writ that allows the seizure of the goods of an alien as compensation for goods taken from an English subject living abroad.

An example of arresto facto super bonis mercatorum alienigenorum would be if an English merchant had their goods taken by a foreign merchant while they were living abroad. The English merchant could then use the writ to seize the goods of the foreign merchant as compensation.

Another example would be if a foreign merchant owed a debt to an English merchant and refused to pay. The English merchant could use the writ to seize the goods of the foreign merchant as payment for the debt.

These examples illustrate how the writ of arresto facto super bonis mercatorum alienigenorum was used to protect the interests of English merchants and ensure that they were fairly compensated for any losses they suffered while doing business abroad.