compurgation

For civil suits there was a provision against ‘wager of battle,’ and the accused again cleared themselves by compurgation.

But experience having shown that this method of trial was tumultuary and uncertain, they corrected it by the idea of compurgation.

Compurgation was abolished in 1440 as its inferiority to trial by witnesses became fully recognized.

With this assize too a practice which had prevailed from the earliest English times, the practice of "compurgation," passed away.

But the compurgation was now completed, and the Cid was compelled to do homage.