Here is a very good article on the utter sham that is Homeopathy at Neurologicablog. I wish we could stamp out these snake oil charlatans. It’s even worse when their cures, or more precisely the lack of them, end up killing people.
WRIT OF MAINPRIZE, English law. A writ directed to the sheriff (either generally, when any man is imprisoned for a bailable offence, and bail has been refused; or specially, when the offence or cause of commitment is not properly bailable below) commanding him to take sureties for the prisoner's appearance, commonly called mainpernors, and to set him at large. 3 B]. Com. 128. Vide Mainprize.
A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. By John Bouvier. Published 1856.