Lat. In Roman law. A certain ceremony or formal process anciently required to be performed, to perfect tbe sale or conveyance of res mancipi, (land, houses, slaves, horses, or cattle.) The parties were present, (vendor and vendee,) with five wit-nesses and a person called “libripens," who held a balance or scales. A set form of words was repeated on either side, indicative of transfer of ownership, aud certain pre-serlbed gestures performed, and the vendee then struck the scales with a piece of copper, thereby symbolizing the payment, or welgh-lng out, of the stipulated price
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
