parts (and
consequently the most moveable ones) of it. This can be nothing but
the blood, which, being violently moved, must needs gush out at those
places where it findeth issues."

The swallowing of a piece of barley bread, over which mass had been
performed, was not unfrequent in trials of ordeal. If the suspected
person swallowed the bread without injury, he was declared innocent;
but if the bread choked him in the attempt to swallow it, then was he
considered to be guilty. At times cheese was given with the bread; but
when that was done, it was essential to supply ewe-milk cheese made in
the month of May.

CHAPTER LI.

A Popular Story--Ordeal of Red-hot Iron--Ordeal by
Boiling Water--Theatberge, wife of Lothaire, accused
of Incest--Purgation by Cold Water--Forbes's
Memoirs--Ordeals by Boiling Oil--Trial by Wager of
Battle--When Trial by Wager of Battle ceased--Trial by
Jury--Combats in Germany--Bier placed near the
Combatants--Court of King's Bench deciding the
Legality of Trial by Battle--Sir Walter Scott's
Illustrations of Superstition and Trial by Battle in
Olden Times.

A popular story is told of Emma, mother of Edward the Confessor, being
accused of too great familiarity with the Bishop of Leicester. To
justify herself, she demanded the ordeal of red-hot iron. Her demand
was complied with, and she passed barefooted and blindfolded over nine
red-hot ploughshares without touching them. Her innocence was thereby
held to be proved.

Nobles and great persons who submitted to ordeal by water were purged
by boiling water, but the populace had to undergo the cold-water test.

Theatberge, wife of Lothaire of France, having been accused of incest,
certain bishops were consulted as to the manner of establishing her
guilt or innocence; and they concluded that recourse should be had to
proof by boiling water. She was ordered to plunge her hand into a
basin of boiling water, and take out a ring put therein. In place of
complying, she availed herself of a privilege the law allowed--to find
a substitute. He whom she chose produced the ring without injuring his
hand, in spite of the fire under the caldron being so intense that the
water boiled over.

In the trial or purgation by cold water, the accused, after prayers
and other ceremonies, was cast into deep water, swaddled or tied in
such a manner as to make it impossible for him or her to swim. If