ORDEAL OF BOILING WATER. Details of its administration 278 Miracles reversing the ordinary process 285 CHAPTER III. ORDEAL OF RED-HOT IRON. Various forms of its administration 286 Examples of its use 291 Miracles reversing the ordinary process 301 CHAPTER IV. ORDEAL OF FIRE. Its prototypes 303 Examples of its use 305 Used to test relics 314 CHAPTER V. ORDEAL OF COLD WATER. Mode of administration 318 Supposed origin in ninth century 320 Received in general use 322 Prolonged employment in witchcraft cases 325 Occasionally used in nineteenth century 332 CHAPTER VI. ORDEAL OF THE BALANCE. Modes of administration 334 CHAPTER VII. ORDEAL OF THE CROSS. It is one of endurance 336 Its limited use and disappearance 338 CHAPTER VIII. THE CORSNÆD. Formula of employment 339 Examples of its use 341 CHAPTER IX. THE EUCHARIST AS AN ORDEAL. Superstitions connected with the Eucharist 344 Examples of its use as an ordeal 347 Still used in the seventeenth century 351 CHAPTER X. ORDEAL OF THE LOT. Various modes of its administration 352 Appeals to chance—Ordeal of Bible and key 356 Sieve-driving 358 CHAPTER XI. BIER-RIGHT. Doubtful origin 359 Examples of its use 361 It lingers to the present day 367 Attempts to explain it 368 Weight ascribed to it 369 CHAPTER XII. OATHS AS ORDEALS. Superstitions connected with the oath 371 Risks of perjury in oaths on relics 372 CHAPTER XIII. POISON ORDEALS. Used in India, not in Europe 375 CHAPTER XIV. IRREGULAR ORDEALS. Iron bands on murderers 377 Examples of miraculous interposition 379