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Anglo-Saxon

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ísen-ordál

  • noun [ neuter ]
Dictionary links
Grammar
ísen-ordál, es; n.
The ordeal by hot iron, in which the accused who wished to clear himself had to bear, on the naked hand, a piece of red hot iron. The passages from which the following extracts are taken will illustrate this mode of trial
Show examples

  • Gif hit sý ýsenordál beón þreó niht ǽr man ða hand undó

    if it be the ordeal by hot iron, let it be three days before the hand be undone,

    • L. Ath. i. 23
      • ;
    • Th. i. 212, 3
      • .

  • Wé cwǽdon . . . ðæt man . . . myclade ðæt ordálýsen ðæt hit gewege þrý pund . . . and hæbbe se teónd cyre swá wæterordál swá ýsenordál swá hwæðer him leófre sý

    we have ordained that the ordeal-iron be increased so that it weigh three pounds . . . and let the accuser have the choice of ordeal by water or by iron, whichever he prefer,

    • iv. 6
      • ;
    • Th. i. 224, 12-16
      • .
  • See too,

    Dóm be hátan ísene,

    • 7
      • ;
    • Th. i. 226, 7, sqq
      • ;
    and
      Schmid A. S. Gesetz. p. 419.
Etymology
[
Cf. Icel. bera járn, járn-burðr in Cl. and Vig. Dict. and see Grmm. R. A. 915, sqq.
]
Similar entries
v. ordál.
Entry information
Citation

Bosworth, Joseph. “ísen-ordál.” In An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary Online, edited by Thomas Northcote Toller, Christ Sean, and Ondřej Tichy. Prague: Faculty of Arts, Charles University, 2014. https://bosworthtoller.com/20811.

Checked: 1
Full form

Word-wheel

  • ísen-ordál, n.

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