A medieval tax, fine, or regulation; a variant of 'assize' used in historical legal documents.
From Old French 'assise,' ultimately from Latin 'assidere.' The '-a' ending suggests either a feminine noun form or Romance language pluralization rules applied to English legal terminology.
This word shows how English legal language froze in place around 1066—we still have sheriffs and bailiffs speaking in terms that would sound familiar to a Norman lawyer from the year 1100.
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