The ordeal of fire in the 8th and 9th centuries to establish guilt of crimes like heresy, typically required that the accused walk a certain number of paces, usually three, over red-hot ploughshares or holding a red-hot iron. Innocence was sometimes established by a complete lack of injury, but it was more common for the wound to be bandaged and re-examined three days later by a priest, who would pronounce that God had intervened to heal it, or that it was merely festering—in which case the suspect would be exiled or put to death.
'The Illustrated History of the World' Published by Ward; Lock & Co; 1890
Size: 3316px × 4287px
Location: Europe
Photo credit: © De Luan / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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