Mainpernors

MAINPERNORS, English law. Those persons to whom a man, is delivered out of custody or prison, on their becoming bound for his appearance.
2. Mainpernors differ from bail: a man's bail may imprison or surrender him up before the stipulated day of appearance; mainpernors can do neither, but are merely sureties for his appearance at the day; bail are only sureties that the party be answerable for all the special matter for which they stipulate; mainpernors are bound to produce him to answer all charges whatsoever. 3. Bl. Com. 128; vide Dane's Index, h.t.

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Marlowe would have been summarily arrested and required to stay in the Marshalsea prison if he could not find bail, that is, two people prepared to act not only as mainpernors or sureties for his appearance in court, but also as guarantors liable for the plaintiff's debts and costs should the defendant lose the case and fail to satisfy any judgment against him.

New sightings of Christopher Marlowe in London

When a loan was negotiated, the borrower had to find mainpernors, or pledges, who would stand as surety against payment.