Whenaman，accusedofacapitalcrime，choosestoundergotheordealtrial，heiscloselyconfinedforseveraldays；hisrighthandandarmarecoveredwiththickwax-cloth，tiedupandsealed，inthepresenceofproperofficers，topreventdeceit。IntheEnglishdistrictsthecoveringwasalwayssealedwiththeCompany’sarms，andtheprisonerplacedunderanEuropeanguard。Atthetimefixedfortheordeal，acaldronofoilisplacedoverafire；whenitboils，apieceofmoneyisdroppedintothevessel；theprisoner’sarmisunsealed，andwashedinthepresenceofhisjudgesandaccusers。Duringthispartoftheceremony，theattendantBrahminssupplicatetheDeity。Onreceivingtheirbenediction，theaccusedplungeshishandintotheboilingfluid，andtakesoutthecoin。ThearmisafterwardsagainSealedupuntilthetimeappointedforare-examination。Thesealisthenbroken:ifnoblemishappears，theprisonerisdeclaredinnocent；ifthecontrary，hesuffersthepunishmentduetohiscrime。“***Onthistrialtheaccusedthusaddressestheelementbeforeplunginghishandintotheboilingoil:——“Thou，Ofire！pervadestallthings。O
　　causeofpurity！whogivestevidenceofvirtueandofsin，declarethetruthinthismyhand！“Ifnojugglingwerepractised，thedecisionsbythisordealwouldbeallthesameway；but，assomearebythismeansdeclaredguilty，andothersinnocent，itisclearthattheBrahmins，liketheChristianpriestsofthemiddleages，practisesomedeceptioninsavingthosewhomtheywishtobethoughtguiltless。]
　　Asregardsthewater-ordeal，thesametroublewasnottaken。Itwasatrialonlyforthepoorandhumble，and，whethertheysankorswam，wasthoughtofverylittleconsequence。Likethewitchesofmoremoderntimes，theaccusedwerethrownintoapondorriver；iftheysank，andweredrowned，theirsurvivingfriendshadtheconsolationofknowingthattheywereinnocent；iftheyswam，theywereguilty。Ineithercasesocietywasridofthem。
　　Butofalltheordeals，thatwhichtheclergyreservedforthemselveswastheoneleastlikelytocauseanymemberoftheircorpstobedeclaredguilty。Themostculpablemonsterinexistencecameoffclearwhentriedbythismethod。ItwascalledtheCorsned，andwasthusperformed。Apieceofbarleybreadandapieceofcheesewerelaiduponthealtar，andtheaccusedpriest，inhisfullcanonicals，andsurroundedbyallthepompousadjunctsofRomanceremony，pronouncedcertainconjurations，andprayedwithgreatfervencyforseveralminutes。Theburdenofhisprayerwas，thatifhewereguiltyofthecrimelaidtohischarge，GodwouldsendhisangelGabrieltostophisthroat，thathemightnotbeabletoswallowthebreadandcheese。Thereisnoinstanceuponrecordofapriesthavingbeenchokedinthismanner。[AnordealverylikethisisstillpractisedinIndia。Consecratedriceisthearticlechosen，insteadofbreadandcheese。Instancesarenotrareinwhich，throughtheforceofimagination，guiltypersonsarenotabletoswallowasinglegrain。
　　Consciousoftheircrime，andfearfulofthepunishmentofHeaven，theyfeelasuffocatingsensationintheirthroatwhentheyattemptit，andtheyfallontheirknees，andconfessallthatislaidtotheircharge。Thesamething，nodoubt，wouldhavehappenedwiththebreadandcheeseoftheRomanchurch，ifithadbeenappliedtoanyothersbutecclesiastics。Thelatterhadtoomuchwisdomtobecaughtinatrapoftheirownsetting。]
　　When，underPopeGregoryVII，itwasdebatedwhethertheGregorianchantshouldbeintroducedintoCastile，insteadoftheMusarabic，givenbySt。Isidore，ofSeville，tothechurchesofthatkingdom，verymuchillfeelingwasexcited。Thechurchesrefusedtoreceivethenovelty，anditwasproposedthattheaffairshouldbedecidedbyabattlebetweentwochampions，onechosenfromeachside。Theclergywouldnotconsenttoamodeofsettlementwhichtheyconsideredimpious，buthadnoobjectiontotrythemeritsofeachchantbythefireordeal。Agreatfirewasaccordinglymade，andabookoftheGregorianandoneoftheMusarabicchantwerethrownintoit，thattheflamesmightdecidewhichwasmostagreeabletoGodbyrefusingtoburnit。CardinalBaronius，whosayshewasaneye-witnessofthemiracle，relates，thatthebookoftheGregorianchantwasnosoonerlaiduponthefire，thanitleapedoutuninjured，visibly，andwithagreatnoise。EveryonepresentthoughtthatthesaintshaddecidedinfavourofPopeGregory。Afteraslightinterval，thefirewasextinguished；but，wonderfultorelate！theotherbookofSt。Isidorewasfoundcoveredwithashes，butnotinjuredintheslightestdegree。
　　Theflameshadnotevenwarmedit。Uponthisitwasresolved，thatbothwerealikeagreeabletoGod，andthattheyshouldbeusedbyturnsinallthechurchesofSeville？[HistoiredeMessireBertrandduGuesclin，parPaulHayduChastelet。Livrei。chap。xix。]
　　Iftheordealshadbeenconfinedtoquestionslikethis，thelaitywouldhavehadlittleornoobjectiontothem；butwhentheywereintroducedasdecisiveinallthedisputesthatmightarisebetweenmanandman，theoppositionofallthosewhoseprimevirtuewaspersonalbravery，wasnecessarilyexcited。Infact，thenobility，fromaveryearlyperiod，begantolookwithjealouseyesuponthem。Theywerenotslowtoperceivetheirtruepurport，whichwasnootherthantomaketheChurchthelastcourtofappealinallcases，bothcivilandcriminal:andnotonlydidthenobilityprefertheancientmodeofsinglecombatfromthiscause，initselfasufficientone，buttheyclungtoitbecauseanacquittalgainedbythosedisplaysofcourageandaddresswhichthebattleafforded，wasmorecreditableintheeyesoftheircompeers，thanonewhichitrequiredbutlittleornoneofeithertoaccomplish。Tothesecausesmaybeaddedanother，whichwas，perhaps，morepotentthaneither，inraisingthecreditofthejudicialcombatattheexpenseoftheordeal。Thenobleinstitutionofchivalrywasbeginningtotakeroot，and，notwithstandingtheclamoursoftheclergy，warwasmadethesolebusinessoflife，andtheonlyelegantpursuitofthearistocracy。Thefinespiritofhonourwasintroduced，anyattackuponwhichwasonlytobeavengedinthelists，withinsightofapplaudingcrowds，whoseverdictofapprobationwasfarmoregratifyingthanthecoldandformalacquittaloftheordeal。
　　Lothaire，thesonofLouisI，abolishedthatbyfireandthetrialofthecrosswithinhisdominions；butinEnglandtheywereallowedsolateasthetimeofHenryIII，intheearlypartofwhosereigntheywereprohibitedbyanorderofcouncil。Inthemeantime，theCrusadeshadbroughttheinstitutionofchivalrytothefullheightofperfection。Thechivalricspiritsoonachievedthedownfalloftheordealsystem，andestablishedthejudicialcombatonabasistoofirmtobeshaken。Itistruethatwiththefallofchivalry，asaninstitution，fellthetournament，andtheencounterinthelists；buttheduel，theiroffspring，hassurvivedtothisday，defyingtheeffortsofsagesandphilosopherstoeradicateit。Amongalltheerrorsbequeathedtousbyabarbarousage，ithasprovedthemostpertinacious。Ithasputvariancebetweenmen’sreasonandtheirhonour；putthemanofsenseonalevelwiththefool，andmadethousandswhocondemnitsubmittoit，orpractiseit。Thosewhoarecurioustoseethemannerinwhichthesecombatswereregulated，mayconsultthelearnedMontesquieu，wheretheywillfindacopioussummaryofthecodeofancientduelling。[“EspritdesLoix，“livrexxviii。chap。xxv。]Trulydoesheremark，inspeakingoftheclearnessandexcellenceofthearrangements，that，asthereweremanywisematterswhichwereconductedinaveryfoolishmanner，sothereweremanyfoolishmattersconductedverywisely。Nogreaterexemplificationofitcouldbegiven，thanthewiseandreligiousrulesoftheabsurdandblasphemoustrialbybattle。
　　IntheagesthatintervenedbetweentheCrusadesandthenewerathatwasopenedoutbytheinventionofgunpowderandprinting，amorerationalsystemoflegislationtookroot。Theinhabitantsofcities，engagedinthepursuitsoftradeandindustry，werecontenttoacquiesceinthedecisionsoftheirjudgesandmagistrateswheneveranydifferencesaroseamongthem。Unliketheclassabovethem，theirhabitsandmannersdidnotleadthemtoseekthebattle-fieldoneveryslightoccasion。Adisputeastothepriceofasackofcorn，abaleofbroad-cloth，oracow，couldbemoresatisfactorilyadjustedbeforethemayororbailiffoftheirdistrict。Eventhemartialknightsandnobles，quarrelsomeastheywere，begantoseethatthetrialbybattlewouldloseitsdignityandsplendouriftoofrequentlyresortedto。Governmentsalsosharedthisopinion，andonseveraloccasionsrestrictedthecasesinwhichitwaslegaltoproceedtothisextremity。InFrance，beforethetimeofLouisIX，duelswerepermittedonlyincasesofLeseMajesty，Rape，Incendiarism，Assassination，andBurglary。LouisIX，bytakingoffallrestriction，madethemlegalincivileases。Thiswasnotfoundtoworkwell，and，in1303，PhiliptheFairjudgeditnecessarytoconfinethem，incriminalmatters，tostateoffences，rape，andincendiarism；andincivilcases，toquestionsofdisputedinheritance。Knighthoodwasallowedtobethebestjudgeofitsownhonour，andmightdefendoravengeitasoftenasoccasionarose。
　　Amongtheearliestduelsuponrecord，isaverysingularonethattookplaceinthereignofLouisIIA。D。878。Ingelgerius，CountofGastinois，wasonemorningdiscoveredbyhisCountessdeadinbedatherside。Gontran，arelationoftheCount，accusedtheCountessofhavingmurderedherhusband，towhom，heasserted，shehadlongbeenunfaithful，andchallengedhertoproduceachampiontodobattleinherbehalf，thathemightestablishherguiltbykillinghim。[MemoiresdeBrantometouchantlesDuels。]AllthefriendsandrelativesoftheCountessbelievedinherinnocence；butGontranwassostoutandboldandrenownedawarrior，thatnoonedaredtomeethim，forwhich，asBrantomequaintlysays，“Mauvaisetpoltronsparensestaient。“TheunhappyCountessbegantodespair，whenachampionsuddenlyappearedinthepersonofIngelgerius，CountofAnjou，aboyofsixteenyearsofage，whohadbeenheldbytheCountessonthebaptismalfont，andreceivedherhusband’sname。Hetenderlylovedhisgodmother，andofferedtodobattleinhercauseagainstanyandeveryopponent。TheKingendeavouredtopersuadethegenerousboyfromhisenterprise，urgingthegreatstrength，triedskill，andinvinciblecourageofthechallenger；buthepersistedinhisresolution，tothegreatsorrowofallthecourt，whosaiditwasacruelthingtopermitsobraveandbeautifulachildtorushtosuchbutcheryanddeath。
　　Whenthelistswereprepared，theCountessdulyacknowledgedherchampion，andthecombatantscommencedtheonset。Gontranrodesofiercelyathisantagonist，andhithimontheshieldwithsuchimpetuosity，thathelosthisownbalanceandrolledtotheground。
　　TheyoungCount，asGontranfell，passedhislancethroughhisbody，andthendismounting，cutoffhishead，which，Brantomesays，“hepresentedtotheKing，whoreceiveditmostgraciously，andwasveryjoyful，asmuchsoasifanyonehadmadehimapresentofacity。“
　　TheinnocenceoftheCountesswasthenproclaimedwithgreatrejoicings；andshekissedhergodson，andweptoverhisneckwithjoy，inthepresenceofalltheassembly。
　　WhentheEarlofEssexwasaccused，byRobertdeMontfort，beforeKingHenryII，in1162，ofhavingtraitorouslysufferedtheroyalstandardofEnglandtofallfromhishandsinaskirmishwiththeWelsh，atColeshill，fiveyearspreviously，thelatterofferedtoprovethetruthofthechargebysinglecombat。TheEarlofEssexacceptedthechallenge，andthelistswerepreparednearReading。Animmenseconcourseofpersonsassembledtowitnessthebattle。Essexatfirstfoughtstoutly，but，losinghistemperandself-command，hegaveanadvantagetohisopponent，whichsoondecidedthestruggle。Hewasunhorsed，andsoseverelywounded，thatallpresentthoughthewasdead。Atthesolicitationofhisrelatives，themonksoftheAbbeyofReadingwereallowedtoremovethebodyforinterment，andMontfortwasdeclaredthevictor。Essex，however，wasnotdead，butstunnedonly，and，underthecareofthemonks，recoveredinafewweeksfromhisbodilyinjuries。Thewoundsofhismindwerenotsoeasilyhealed。
　　Thoughaloyalandbravesubject，thewholerealmbelievedhimatraitorandacowardbecausehehadbeenvanquished。Hecouldnotbrooktoreturntotheworlddeprivedofthegoodopinionofhisfellows；he，therefore，madehimselfamonk，andpassedtheremainderofhisdayswithinthewallsoftheAbbey。
　　DuChasteletrelatesasingularduelthatwasproposedinSpain。[HistoiredeMessireBertrandduGuesclin，livrei。chap。xix。]