Medieval Studies

Most of the time when doing the research for my PhD, I don't feel that many of those among my aquaintance would be interested in me sharing the information I discover. However, today is an exception. I'm currently reading an article by Colin Morris about the Judicium Dei. For those who are not Latin scholars, this refers to the ordeal or trial by ordeal that occurred in the Middle Ages. Most of my readers will have heard of the trial by fire or trial by water and may particularly associate these with the witch trials of the period. Also well known (I believe) is the trial by combat, whereby the winner of the duel is the one decreed by God to be in the right.

I suspect, however, that like me, most of you will be surprised to learn that there existed also the trial by bread and cheese. I kid you not.