Whenaman，accusedofacapitalcrime，choosestoundergotheordealtrial，heiscloselyconfinedforseveraldays；hisrighthandandarmarecoveredwiththickwax-cloth，tiedupandsealed，inthepresenceofproperofficers，topreventdeceit。IntheEnglishdistrictsthecoveringwasalwayssealedwiththeCompany’sarms，andtheprisonerplacedunderanEuropeanguard。Atthetimefixedfortheordeal，acaldronofoilisplacedoverafire；whenitboils，apieceofmoneyisdroppedintothevessel；theprisoner’sarmisunsealed，andwashedinthepresenceofhisjudgesandaccusers。Duringthispartoftheceremony，theattendantBrahminssupplicatetheDeity。Onreceivingtheirbenediction，theaccusedplungeshishandintotheboilingfluid，andtakesoutthecoin。ThearmisafterwardsagainSealedupuntilthetimeappointedforare-examination。Thesealisthenbroken:ifnoblemishappears，theprisonerisdeclaredinnocent；ifthecontrary，hesuffersthepunishmentduetohiscrime。“***Onthistrialtheaccusedthusaddressestheelementbeforeplunginghishandintotheboilingoil:——“Thou，Ofire！pervadestallthings。O

　　causeofpurity！whogivestevidenceofvirtueandofsin，declarethetruthinthismyhand！“Ifnojugglingwerepractised，thedecisionsbythisordealwouldbeallthesameway；but，assomearebythismeansdeclaredguilty，andothersinnocent，itisclearthattheBrahmins，liketheChristianpriestsofthemiddleages，practisesomedeceptioninsavingthosewhomtheywishtobethoughtguiltless。]

　　Asregardsthewater-ordeal，thesametroublewasnottaken。Itwasatrialonlyforthepoorandhumble，and，whethertheysankorswam，wasthoughtofverylittleconsequence。Likethewitchesofmoremoderntimes，theaccusedwerethrownintoapondorriver；iftheysank，andweredrowned，theirsurvivingfriendshadtheconsolationofknowingthattheywereinnocent；iftheyswam，theywereguilty。Ineithercasesocietywasridofthem。

　　Butofalltheordeals，thatwhichtheclergyreservedforthemselveswastheoneleastlikelytocauseanymemberoftheircorpstobedeclaredguilty。Themostculpablemonsterinexistencecameoffclearwhentriedbythismethod。ItwascalledtheCorsned，andwasthusperformed。Apieceofbarleybreadandapieceofcheesewerelaiduponthealtar，andtheaccusedpriest，inhisfullcanonicals，andsurroundedbyallthepompousadjunctsofRomanceremony，pronouncedcertainconjurations，andprayedwithgreatfervencyforseveralminutes。Theburdenofhisprayerwas，thatifhewereguiltyofthecrimelaidtohischarge，GodwouldsendhisangelGabrieltostophisthroat，thathemightnotbeabletoswallowthebreadandcheese。Thereisnoinstanceuponrecordofapriesthavingbeenchokedinthismanner。[AnordealverylikethisisstillpractisedinIndia。Consecratedriceisthearticlechosen，insteadofbreadandcheese。Instancesarenotrareinwhich，throughtheforceofimagination，guiltypersonsarenotabletoswallowasinglegrain。

　　Consciousoftheircrime，andfearfulofthepunishmentofHeaven，theyfeelasuffocatingsensationintheirthroatwhentheyattemptit，andtheyfallontheirknees，andconfessallthatislaidtotheircharge。Thesamething，nodoubt，wouldhavehappenedwiththebreadandcheeseoftheRomanchurch，ifithadbeenappliedtoanyothersbutecclesiastics。Thelatterhadtoomuchwisdomtobecaughtinatrapoftheirownsetting。]

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