Superstition and Force / Essays on the Wager of Law, the Wager of Battle, the Ordeal, Torture

Name: Superstition and Force / Essays on the Wager of Law, the Wager of Battle, the Ordeal, Torture
Author: Henry Charles Lea

By Henry Charles Lea

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History - Other Law & Criminology

About This Book

A historical survey of medieval procedures for proving guilt and resolving disputes, examining compurgation, judicial combat, ordeals, and torture. The essays trace these practices from kin-based liability and the wer-gild of early societies through the functions and safeguards of oaths and their guarantors, the Church’s adaptation and regulation of trial by battle, and the emergence and use of champions. The work details procedural forms, penalties, and selection methods, and follows the gradual decline of these methods as evidentiary standards and Roman law influences spread, using comparative material from various European and related legal traditions to show continuity and variation.

About the Author

Henry Charles Lea

Henry Charles Lea was an American historian and author known for his extensive works on the Inquisition and its historical context. His most notable work, "A History of the Inquisition of Spain," is a comprehensive four-volume study that explores the origins, practices, and impacts of the Inquisition in Spain. Lea's scholarship is characterized by meticulous research and a critical approach to historical narratives, making significant contributions to the understanding of religious persecution and its societal implications. In addition to his studies on the Inquisition, he also wrote on topics such as sacerdotal celibacy and medieval superstition, further establishing his reputation as a prominent figure in the field of historical literature.