13 — Formulas concerning Ordeals
From: Medieval Sourcebook [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html]
The two methods of proof used in early Germanic law were compurgation
and ordeal. In compurgation the accused swore to his own innocence together
with a group of "oath-helpers." Two typical kinds of ordeal-in their Christianized
form-are described in the following liturgical formulas.
The Judgment of the Glowing Iron
After the accusation has been lawfully made, and three days have been passed
in fasting and prayer, the priest, clad in his sacred vestments with the
exception of his outside garment, shall take with a tongs the iron placed
before the altar; and, singing the hymn of the three youths, namely, "Bless
him all his works," he shall bear it to the fire, and shall say this prayer
over the place where the fire is to carry out the judgment: "Bless, 0 Lord
God, this place, that there may be for us in it sanctity, chastity, virtue
and victory, and sanctimony, humility, goodness, gentleness and plentitude
of law, and obedience to God the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost."-After
this, the iron shall be placed in the fire and shall be sprinkled with
holy water; and while it is heating, he shall celebrate mass. But when
the priest shall have taken the Eucharist, he shall adjure the man who
is to be tried ... and shall cause him to take the communion. Then the
priest shall sprinkle holy water above the iron and shall say: "The blessing
of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost descend upon this iron for
the discerning of the right judgment of God." And straightway the accused
shall carry the iron to a distance of nine feet. Finally his hand shall
be covered under seal for three days, and if festering blood be found in
the track of the iron, he shall be judged guilty. But if, however, he shall
go forth uninjured, praise shall be rendered to God.
Test of the Cold Water
Consecration to Be Said over the Man. May omnipotent God, who did
order baptism to be made by water, and did grant remission of sins to men
through baptism: may He, through His mercy, decree a right judgment through
that water. If, namely, thou art guilty in that matter, may the water which
received thee in baptism not receive thee now; if however, thou art innocent,
may the water which received thee in baptism receive thee now. Through
Christ our Lord.
Afterwards He Shall Exorcise the Water Thus: I adjure thee,water,
in name of the Father Almighty, who did create thee in the beginning, who
also did order thee to be separated from the waters above,. . . that in
no manner thou receive this man, if he be in any way guilty of the charge
that is brought against him; by deed, namely, or by consent, or by knowledge,
or in any way: but make him to swim above thee. And may no process be employed
against thee, and no magic which may be able to conceal that (fact of his
guilt).
from Ernest F. Henderson, Select Historical Documents of the Middle
Ages, (London: George Bell and Sons, 1910), pp. 314-317