ordeal

The most ancient species of trial, in Saxon and old English law, being peculiarly distinguished by the appellation of "judicium Dei," or "judgment of God," it being supposed that supernatural intervention would rescue an innocent person from the danger of physical harm to which he was exposed hi this species of trial.

The ordeal was of two sorts,-either fire ordeal or water ordeal; the former being confined to persons of higher rank, the latter to the common people.

@ fire ordeal

The ordeal by fire or red-hot iron, which was performed either by taking up in the hand a piece of red-hot iron, of one, two, or three pounds weight, or by walking barefoot and blindfolded over nine red-hot plowshares, laid lengthwise at unequal distances.

@ water ordeal

In Saxon and old English law, the ordeal or trial by water. The hot-water ordeal was performed by plunging the bare arm up to the elbow in boiling water, and escaping unhurt thereby. The cold-water ordeal was performed by casting the person suspected into a river or pond of cold water, when, if he floated therein, without any action of swimming it was deemed an evidence of his guilt; but, if he sunk, he was acquitted. 4 BLComm. 343

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