Old Law. Also 1 leʓerwíte, 3 learwite, 4 leyrewite. [OE. leʓerwíte, f. leʓer lying, LAIR sb.1 + wíte fine.] A fine for fornication or adultery, esp. with a bondwoman.
[a. 1135. Laws of Hen. I., xxiii. § 23, in Schmid, Gesetze, 447. Si quis blodwitam, fightwitam, legerwitam et hujusmodi forisfaciat.]
c. 1230. Hali Meid., 47. Þu … waldes warpe me as wrecche iþi learwite.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 97. Leyrewite, amendes for liggynge by a bond womman.
1670. Blount, Law Dict., s.v. Adultery, The penalty of this sin was called Lairwite by our Saxons.
