sentencing.
In the Medieval times there were no lawyers or police investigators to determine if someone was guilty or innocent of a crime. If a common or average was accused of a crime they had to go through 'ordeals' which were strange trials which supposedly established innocence or guilt, there were many different types ordeals but the most popular ordeals were trial by water, trial by fire and trial by combat.
Trial by Fire-Trial by fire involved the suspected criminal to hold a red hot iron bar for three paces the burn was then bandaged, after three days if the burn had shown signs of healing then the suspect was considered innocent if not they were guilty
Trial by Water- Trial by water involved the suspect to be tied and thrown in the water if the person floated they were guilty if they sunk they were innocent but the "innocent" usually died in the end. Trial by Combat- Trial by Combat was only available for wealthy people and was considered a privilege as you could fight to prove your innocence. The accused person would fight the person that accused them of the crime, whoever survived was considered correct. |