It is probable that the Trial by Ordeal was not discontinued in England by any positive law or ordinance, although Sir E. Coke (9 Rep., 32), and after him Blackstone (4 Cum In., 315), have expressed ms opinion that it was finally abolished by an act of parliament, or rather an order of the king in council, in the 3 Henry III. (1219). This order is to be found in Itymer's Feeders, vol. p., p. 228; Spel man's `Olossary,' sub voce Judicition Dei ; and in Selden's Notes to Eadmer.' Spelman, however, thinks that this was merely a temporary la*, without any general or permanent operation, and that the Trial by Ordeal continued to a later period. This opinion seems confirmed by a reference in the Csl. Rot. l'at., v. 15, to another order in council in the 14 Henry Ill., 'De justitil faciendff loco ignis et aquae.' As, however, it is only mentioned as a former custom, and not as an exist ing institution, by Bracton (lib. ill., cap. 16), who wrote at the end of the reign of Henry III. or the commencement of that of Edward I., it is probable that, in consequence of the judgments of councils and the interference of the clergy, the Trial by Ordeal fell into disuse about the middle of the 13th century (Sciden's' Notes to Eadmce) . but this was long after it had disappeared from the judicial systems of most other European nations.
Blackstone, in the part of his 'Commentaries' already quoted, says, " Purgation by ordeal seems to have been very ancient, and very universal iu the times of superstitious barbarity. It was known to the ancient Greeks : for in the ' Antigone' of Sophocles (v. 270) a person, suspected by Creon of a misdemeanor, declares himself ready ' to handle hot iron, and to walk over fire,' in order to manifest his inno cence ; which the scholiast tells us was then a very usual purgation."
And Grotlus (on ' Numb.' v., 17) gives us many instances of water ordeal in Bithynia, Sardinia, and other places.
" In Siam, besides the usual methods of fire and water-ordeal, both parties are sometimes exposed to the fury of a tiger let loose for that purpose : and if the beast spares either, that person is accounted innocent ; if neither, both are held to be guilty ; but if he spares both, the trial is incomplete, and they proceed to a more certain criterion." (' Mod. Univ. Hist.; vol. vii., p. 266.) The 'Asiatic Researches' (vol. i., 4to. Calcutta, 1788, p. 389-404) con tain a memoir on the trials by ordeal among the Hindus, by Ali Ibra him Khan, chief magistrate at Benares, communicated by Warren Hastings, Esq , nine in number :-1, by the balance ; 2, by fire; 3, by water ; 4, by two sorts of poison ; 5, by Cosha, in which the accused drinks of water in which the images of the sun and other deities have been wa,bed ; 6, by chewing rice; 7, by hot oil ; 8, by hot iron ; 9, by Dharmach, in which an image named Dharma, or the genius of justice, made of silver, and another of an antagonist genius Adharma, made of clay or iron, or those figures painted respectively on white and black cloth, are thrown into a large jar, from which the accused is instructed to draw at hazard.
The Latin forms of service for the different species of ordeal, as anciently used in England, are given by Spelmau in his `Glossary,' is v. from the Textus Roffensis.
The reader may consult for further information Grimm's 'Deutsche Rechts-Alterthiimer, Gottesurtheil.'