[Gutenberg 58750] • Superstition and Force / Essays on the Wager of Law, the Wager of Battle, the Ordeal, Torture

A learned historian examines the bizarre and horrific methods of bringing criminals to justice that prevailed in the Middle Ages. Focusing on three important factors that combined to produce our impression of the times -- Christian doctrine, the revival of Roman law, and the codes of behavior inherited from Europe's barbarians -- Lea demonstrates how atrocities were committed in the name of right belief. Originally published in 1870.