mulet

plural mulets

1. obsoleteA male mule.

   Of Mules, Male and Female. Qu. VVHy is it that the Mulets beget not, nor the Mules can conceive?

   1637, R[obert] B[asset], transl., Curiosities: or the Cabinet of Nature Containing Phylosophical, Naturall, and Morall Questions Fully Answered and Resolved, London: […] N. and I. Okes, page 54

   2 more examples

   After that Huon and the good Abbot had deuised together of diuers things, Huon wrote a Letter vnto his men being at Tournous, that they should come vnto him to the Abbey of Cluny, hee sent a Gentleman of the Abbey to fetch them, and when hée was come to Tournous, and had deliuered his Letters vnto Barnard, they made them readie, and trussed their Somers and departed from thence, and they road so longe, that they came in at the gates of the Abbey of Cluny, the same time Huon and the Abbot were leaning out at a window, the Abbot saw fiftéene Somers charged, and seauen Mules and Mulets, whereof he had great maruaile of whence they were, and said to Huon.

   1601, The Ancient, Honorable, Famous, and Delighfull Historie of Huon of Bourdeaux, One of the Peeres of Fraunce, and Duke of Guyenne Enterlaced with the Loue of Many Ladies, as Also the Fortunes and Aduentures of Knights Errant, Their Amorous Seruants, London: […] Thomas Purfoot

   […]; where after some difficulty having got up to the top of the Mountains, we saw Genoa, and the beautiful suburbs of St. Pietro di Arena under us at nine miles distance, and a vast tract of Sea before us, the Eastern Coast on the left hand, and the Western on the right, and descended by a broad way, and by large Windings and Turnings, upon the bare marble rock, meeting great numbers of Mules, and Mulets tossing up their Nets about their noses, which all together afforded an extraordinary prospect.

   1685, Edward Brown, A Brief Account of Some travels in Divers Parts of Europe Viz Hungaria, Servia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Thessaly, Austria, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Friuli: […], London: […] Benj. Tooke, page 221

plural mulets

1. A fine, a penalty paid for an offense.

   […] up to our officers in the Duffla villages, with some herds of cattle demanded of them as a substantial mulet or fine.

   1875, “The” Illustrated London News, page 287

   1 more example

   Art. 22. In case of inability on the part of the offender to pay such mulet, or any part thereof,—power to the Judge , to commit him or her to prison for such term […]

   1843, Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham: Defence of usury, page 380