Usuarium A Digital Library and Database for the Study of Latin Liturgical History
in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period

ordeals

Latin Keywords iudici*, discussio, adiuratio, ferri, case*
Short Description Ancient religious-judicial practices to determine the truth or the will of God. Not supported by the official ecclesiastical establishment they became obsolete in the Middle Ages. Ordeals most often included trial by red-hot iron and (cold) water, sometimes hot water, or bread and cheese.

Documents

Book Original Index Title P.N
AT Seckau (CRSA) 1100-1200, Ritual, UB Graz Ms 784 | 1177 Iudicium aquae frigidae
212 (104v)
AT St. Florian 1100-1200, Ritual, | 6508 Incipit ordo ad iudicium
127
CH Sankt Gallen 1100-1200, Ritual, OSB St. Gallen Cod. Sang. 0395 | 572 -
155 (151)
CH Sankt Gallen 0850-0900, Sacramentary, ÖNB Wien Cod. 1815 | 4576 Benedictio ferri iudicialis
464 (228v)
DE Biburg 1100-1200, Ritual, OSZK Budapest Cod. Lat. 330 | 1439 Benedictio super ignitum ferrum
125
DE Corvey 0965-1000, Sacramentary, BSB München Clm 10077 | 3478 Cum hominem vis mittere in aquam frigidam ad probationem ita facere debes
410 (210v)
DE Essen 0946-0955, Missal, ULB Düsseldorf MS-D-03 | 5243 Benedictio aquae frigidae stantis vel fluentis
613
DE Freising 1005-1039, Pontifical, BSB München Clm 21587 | 287 Incipit ordo quando aliqua discussio per ferrum calidum est facienda
330
DE Hildesheim 1067 (about), Pontifical, StaBi Bamberg Msc. Lit. 054 | 899 Iudicium aquae calidae
233 (114v)
DE Immendingen 1160-1200, Ritual, StaBi Berlin Ms. theol. lat. oct. 088 | 4959 Missa ad iudicium
195 (97r)
DE Köln 1100-1200, Ritual, BNF Paris Lat. 14833 | 722 In iudicii probationis in frigida aqua etc.
85
DE Köln 1000-1100, Pontifical, BAV Ottobon. lat. 167 | 902 Oratio ad aquam igne ferventem vel ad ferrum calidum
114
DE Mainz (OSB) 0950 (about), Sacramentary, ÖNB Wien Cod. 1888 (olim: Theol. 685) | 4581 Benedictio ignis et ferri sive aquae
190
DE Regensburg 1060-1089, Pontifical, BNF Paris Lat. 01231 | 552 Benedictio ferri iudicialis
240 (233r)
DE Regensburg 0824-0827, Ordines Romani, BSB München Clm 14510 | 901 Benedictio super aquam ferventem
89 (74r)
DE Trier 1000-1100, Pontifical, BNF Paris Lat. 13313 | 638 Benedictio ferri
208 (203r)
DE Wessobrunn 1120 (about), Collectary, Ritual, BSB München Clm 22039 | 3510 Benedictio aquae ad iudicium faciendum
423 (210r)
DE Worms 0975-1000, Pontifical, BM Troyes Ms. 2141 | 1019 Oratio aquae igne ferventis ad iudicium Dei faciendum
235
ES Silos 1150-1200, Missal, BU Salamanca Ms. 2637 | 3715 Benedictio ferri calidi
524
FR Albi 1100-1200, Pontifical, BM Albi Ms. 34 (20) | 156 Benedictio super aqua ferventis (sic)
225 (111r)
FR Arles 1200-1300, Missal, BNF Paris Lat. 00839 | 168 Benedictio ferri
324 (158v)
FR Arras 1094-1196, Benedictional, BM Boulogne Ms. 84 | 997 Benedictio ferri
18
FR Cahors 0900-1000, Pontifical, BNF Paris Lat. 01217 | 716 Ad iudicium faciendum
85 (80v)
FR Corbie 0972-0986, Sacramentary, Pontifical, BNF Paris lat. 12052 | 1200 Benedictio ferri
65 (60)
FR Gellone 0780-0800, Sacramentary, BNF Paris Lat. 12048 | 3247 Exorcismus ad caldaria et ad aquam exorcizatam
518 (258v)
FR Lyon 1000-1100, Sacramentary, BM Lyon Ms. 0537 (457) | 2467 Benedictio aquae calidae
6 (1r)
FR Nevers 1013-1066, Sacramentary, BNF Paris Lat. 17333 | 401 Benedictio vel exorcismus aquae caldae in qua manus ad iudicium mittitur
32 (22)
FR Nevers 1013-1066, Sacramentary, BNF Paris Lat. 17333 | 855 Benedictio vel exorcismus aquae caldae in qua manus ad iudicium mittitur
24 (41)
FR Périgueux 1000-1100, Missal, | 6509 Benedictio ferri in quo manus ad iudicium mittitur
17
FR Reims 0900-1000, Sacramentary, BM Reims Ms. 214 | 2571 Exorcismus iudicii sive aquae sive ferri
404 (197v)
FR Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire 1100-1200, Psalter, Ritual, BM Orléans Ms. 123 | 2535 Benedictio ferri igniti quod causa iudicii portatur
116
FR Soissons 1175-1200, Pontifical, BNF Paris Lat. 08898 | 596 Incipit officium ad iudicium aquae
403
FR Soissons 1100-1200, Pontifical, | 594 Incipit officium ad iudicium aquae
271 (195)
FR Tarentaise 1100 (about), Missal, Bibl. Genève Ms. lat. 028 | 1790 ... tormentis. Susannam de falso crimine
227 (111r)
GB Canterbury 1150-1200, Pontifical, Magdalen Oxford Ms. 226 | 225 Benedictio ferri iudicialis
225 (179)
GB Canterbury 1150-1200, Pontifical, Magdalen Oxford Ms. 226 | 225 Iudicium aquae ferventis
291 (245)
GB Durham 1000 (before), Ritual, Durham Cathedral A. IV. 19. | 279 Adiuratio
140 (112)
GB Durham 1000 (before), Ritual, Durham Cathedral A. IV. 19. | 279 Benedictio quando iudicium exituri sunt homines
128 (100)
GB England (South) 1000 (about), Pontifical, BL London Add. Ms. 57337 | 1884 Incipit exorcismus aquae ad iudicium Dei demonstrandum
161 (74v)
GB Sherborne 0900-1000, Pontifical, BNF Paris Lat. 00943 | 737 Incipit exorcismus aquae ad iudicium Dei demonstrandum
186 (89v)
GB Wells 0900-1000, Pontifical, BM Rouen Ms. 368 (A. 27) | 2662 Incipit adiuratio ferri et aquae ferventis
28
GB Wells 0900-1000, Pontifical, BM Rouen Ms. 368 (A. 27) | 2662 Incipit exorcismus aquae ad iudicium Dei demonstrandum
145
GB Wells 0900-1000, Pontifical, BM Rouen Ms. 368 (A. 27) | 2662 Incipit adiuratio aquae
148
GB Winchester 1061 (about), Ritual, Corpus Christi Cambridge Ms. 422 | 3900 Incipit exorcismus aquae ad iudicium Dei
325
IT Aosta 1000-1900, Ritual, Rituale Augustanum | 163 Oratio ad iudicium faciendum super panem et caseum
397 (261)
IT Arezzo 1100 (about), Sacramentary, BAV Vat. lat. 04772 | 1585 Incipit ordo ad benedicendum ferrum iudiciale
281 (139r)
IT Milano 1000-1100, Ritual, Ambrosiana Milano | 392 Oratio ad ferrum sanctificandum
286 (77)
IT Milano 1000-1100, Ritual, Ambrosiana Milano | 392 Iudicia Dei
1095 (492)
IT Roma 1101-1200, Pontifical, BM St. Omer Ms. 98 | 1008 Benedictio ferri
44 (39r)
IT Siena 1100-1300, Pontifical, Bibl. Com. Siena Ms. F. VI. 8 | 738 Incipit ordo ad benedicendum ferrum iudicialem
191
IT Subiaco 1000-1025, Missal, BAV Vat. lat. 04770 | 1584 Oratio super aquam et ferrum ferventem
462 (229v)
IT Vercelli 1000-1100, Pontifical, Bibl. Arch. Cap. Vercelli Ms. CLV | 972 Benedictio ferri ad iudicium faciendum
152
PL Kraków 1000-1100, Pontifical, Jagiell. Kraków Ms. 2057 | 1203 Benedictio ferri
59 (88)
PL Płock 1175-1225, Pontifical, Sem. Plock Mspł. 29 (olim: München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm 28938) | 536 Benedictio ferri iudicialis
257 (126v)
SE Lund 1250 (about), Hymnary, Ritual, UB Uppsala C 515 | 348 Ad iudicium faciendum
42 (41r)
SE Lund 1250 (about), Hymnary, Ritual, UB Uppsala C 515 | 348 Missa ad discernendum iudicium
47 (45v)