gesting had faith on the part of the users of the ordeal.''' Unless there was some degree of faith in its effleacx’ it would have serv ed no purpose. .Vgain 1 stress that one sign that we are dealing with d'he Last Best Cdianee here, as was the case with the Israelite curse and the Roman legal oath, i.s die solemnitv that surrounds the ordeal. I'he solemnitv of the occasion is well brought out in the formula intoned hv priests for the ordeal of the hot iron: Oh Ciod, the just |udge, who are the author ot peace and gi\ e fair judgenient, we hunihlv prav oni to deign to bless and sanctih' this fier\- iron, which is used in the just e.xaniination ot doubtful issues. It this man is innocent ot the charge from which he seeks to clear himself, he will rake this t'ier\ iron in his hand and appear unharmed; it he is guilt\, let \'our most just power declare that truth in him, so that wickedness nuw not comjuer justice but falsehood always be o\ ercome b\ the truth. I'hrough Cdirist." 'That skepticismabout the ordeal e.xisted froman earlv date is shown hv a capitularv of Cdiarlemagne of 809: "Let all believe the ordeal with no doubting.'"- Doubt e.xisted. But 1 hesitate to accept Bartlett's ludgement that the capitularv also "shtnvs us the king's mind on this matter."" If doubt e.xisted in the minds of some and Cdiarlemagne wished the ordeal to continue, he had to insist that no one should doubt. .\lv point should he generalized. From time to time the claim will he made that the ordeal is not a satisfactorv means to reach the truth, and should he abolished. 'I'he claim will he opposed, and for long the ordeal mav continue. The demand for the retention of the ordeal should not then he seen as necessarilv proof that its propo30 But equally I accept that just as Roman religion was manipulated for political purposes so was the ordeal abused: cf, Bartlett, Trial, pp. i3ff. Where there is faith, it can always be abused. 31 Monumenta Germanise Histories: Formulae Merowingicl et Karolini Aevi, ed K. Zeumer (Hanover, 1886), pp. /oof. The translation is that of Bartlett, Trial, p. 1. 32 Monumenta Germaniae Histories: Capitularia RegumFraneorumi, edit. Alfred Boretius (Hanover, 1883), p. 150 § 20; 'Ut omnes iuelitiumDei eredant absque dubitatione.' 33 Trial, p. 12. 13cS
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