Trial By Combat - Law Dictionary Search Results
Home Dictionary Name: trial by combat Page: 2Battel, wager of
Battel, wager of, a form of trial formerly used in military cases, arising in the Court of chivalry and honour, in appeals of felony in criminal cases, and in the obsolete real action called a writ of action. The question at issue was decided by the result of a personal combat between the parties, or, in the case of a writ of right, between their champions. See Ashford v. Thornton, (1818) 1 B & Ald 405, which quickly led to the practice, which had long been disused, being formally abolished in 1819 by 59 Geo. 3, c. 46....
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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