Digby on Trial by Ordeal 438

CHAPTER LI.

A Popular Story--Theatberge, wife of Lothaire--Forbes's Memoirs--Trial
by Wager of Battle--When Trial by Wager of Battle ceased--Trial by
Jury--Court of King's Bench deciding the Legality of Trial by
Battle--Sir Walter Scott's Illustrations of Superstition and Trial
by Battle in Olden Times 445

* * * * *

CURSES AND EVIL WISHES.

CHAPTER LII.

Curses, Excommunication, and Anathemas--Dirae, the Executioners of
Vengeance--Interment of Excommunicated Persons--Excommunication among
the Hebrews--Last Degree of Excommunication sometimes followed by
Banishment or Death--Form of Excommunication used by Ezra and
Nehemiah--The Greek Church annually excommunicates Roman
Catholics--The Druids resorted to Excommunication--Bishops
excommunicating Rats, Mice, Caterpillars, and other Insects and
Vermin--The Pope's Claim--Napoleon I. excommunicated--Victor Emmanuel
excommunicated--The Inquisition and its terrible Doings--The Pope's
Fearful Curse--Mr. Donald Cargill excommunicating the King and
Nobles--Indulgences, Pardons, and Penance 453

CHAPTER LIII.

St. Adelbert's Curse--Complexion of Blackamoors attributed to a Curse
of Noah--False Accusation, and its Results--Ancestors of the Whelphs
and Guelphs of Germany--An Interesting Legend--A Gipsy's Curse--A Cruel
Father and Husband--Morrar-na-Shean--Restoration of Three Daughters--A
Grateful Father--Ancestors of the Sinclairs of Caithness, and of the
noble family of Keith--The Curse of Moy--A Cruel Chieftain of Clan
Chattan--Swearing by the Hand of a Bride--Grant of Glenmorriston
waiting his Doom--Death of a Father and Lover--Maledictions and
Prediction--Lady leaping from a Lofty Tower--The Monroes of
Foulis--End of a Relentless Tyrant 462

* * * * *

DREAMS AND VISIONS OF THE NIGHT.

CHAPTER LIV.

The Gift or Art of interpreting Dreams--Official Interpreters of
Dreams--Sleep, how portrayed--Goddess of Dreams--Greeks soliciting the
Inspiration of Dreams--Xenophon on Sleep--Prophetic Power of the
Dying--AEsculapius's Discoveries in Dreams--Code of Menu--The
Soma-drink--Josephus as a Seer--Dreadful Proposal by Josephus--His
Fortunate Escape--An Eastern Conjuror--Reading a Sealed Letter--A
Sultan warned of his Death in a Dream--Alexander's De