compurgation

• The Norman kings, indeed, had introduced into England a new method of deciding doubtful questions of property by the “recognition” of sworn witness instead of by the English process of compurgation or ordeal. —  Henry the Second
• Sometimes the court decided offhand, sometimes compurgation was allowed immediately or on the next day, sometimes juries were formed and gave decisions. —  An Introduction to the Industrial and Social History of England
• But experience having shown that this method of trial was tumultuary and uncertain, they corrected it by the idea of compurgation. —  The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 07 (of 12)
• Nor did "compurgation" cease wholly till Queen Mary's reign. —  A Short History of Scotland
• The king or one of his reeves, conducted the trial by compurgation In compurgation, the one complaining, called the "plaintiff", and the one defending, called the "defendant", each told their story and put his hand on the Bible and swore "By God this oath is clean and true". —  Our Legal Heritage, 5th Ed.

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