human
Where the hazel grew, so Mr George Nelson, our chief modern authority, picturesquely defines its region, but our attention here must be limited to England. That it was _not_ with us before the Conquest moves Bishop Stubbs to something of the scholar's mild amazement. The Normans, it seems clear, brought it with them from their continental home. A native accused of a serious crime by one of the invaders was tried by ordeal of battle, but a Norman had choice of the oath as well, and it was also used to decide which of the claimants should have a disputed piece of land. After the legal reforms of Henry II., it became an alternative proceeding in a limited class of actions. These were the Writ of Right (the most solemn method of trying title to land), accusations of murder, and treason. It had place only in appeals, in actions, that is to say, brought not in the king's name, but by an interested subject here called the Appellor, against whom the accused or Appellee might offer to prove his innocence by his body. The Appellor must accept the challenge unless he were maimed by age or wound. Likewise he could
gpt
Oust the Battle