Campfight - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: campfightCampfight
Campfight, the trial of a cause by combat of two champions in the field. If it were a crime deserving death, the campfight was for life or death; if the offence deserved only imprisonment, the campfight was accomplished when one combatant had subdued the other, so as either to make him yield or take him a prisoner. The accused might choose another to fight in his stead, but the accuser was obliged to fight in his own person. See BATTEL, WAGER OF. The combatants were armed with similar weapons, 3 Inst. 221....
Campfight
A duel the decision of a case by a duel...
Ordeal
Ordeal [fr. ordal, Sax., fr. or, great, and dele, judgment], an ancient manner of trial in criminal cases practised amongst our Saxon ancestors, who affected to believe that God would actively inter-pose to establish an earthly right. There were four sorts: (1) campfight, duellum, or combat; (2) fire ordeal; (3) ot water ordeal; (4) cold water ordeal. See Verstegan's Restitution of Decayed Intelligence, 64; Turner's Ang.-Sax., vol. ii. 532; 2 Hallam's Mid. Ages, 466....
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