OLD TIMES. 
242 
account for this, and disposed to think that Providence graciously inter- 
posed, in a miraculous manner, for the preservation of injured inno- 
cence^ But if we examine every circumstance of these fiery ordeals 
with due attention, we shall see sufficient reason to suspect that the 
whole was a gross imposition on the credulity of mankind. 
The accused person was committed wholly to the priest, who was 
to perform the ceremony three days before the trial, in which he 
had time enough to bargain with him for his deliverance, and to give 
him instructions how to act his part. On the day of trial, no person 
was permitted to enter the church but the priest and the accused, 
till after the iron was heated, when twelve friends of the accuser, and 
twelve of the accused, and no more, were admitted, and ranged along 
the wall on each side of the church, at a respectful distance. After 
the iron was taken out of the fire, several prayers were said, the ac- 
cused drank a cup of holy water, and sprinkled his hand with it, which 
might take a considerable time, if the priest was indulgent. The 
space of nine feet was measured by the accused himself with his own 
feet, and he would probably give but scanty measure. He was 
obliged only to touch one of the marks with the toe of his right foot, 
and allowed to stretch the other foot as far towards the other mark as 
he could, so that the conveyance was almost instantaneous. His 
hand was not immediately examined, but wrapped in a cloth prepared 
for that purpose three days. May we not then, from 9.II these precau- 
tions, suspect that these priests were in possession of some secret, 
that secured the hand from the impressions of such a momentary 
touch of hot iron, or removed all appearances of these impressions in 
three days, and that they made use of this secret when they saw 
reason ? Such readers as are curious in matters of this kind, may 
find two different directions for making ointments that will have this 
effect, in a work here quoted. Du Cange, Gloss, tom. iii. p. 397. 
^Vhat greatly strengthens these suspicions is, that we meet with no 
example of any champion in the church who suffered the least injury 
from the touch of hot iron in this ordeal; but when any one was so 
simple as to appeal to it, or to that of hot water, with a view^ to 
deprive the church of any of her possessions, he never failed to burn 
or scald his fingers, and lose his cause. 
OLD TIMES. ('from THE BERKELEY MSS.j 
** In the time of Edward I. and II. they set beans by the hand, and 
Jeazed the seed wheat from the ear itself. 
Prices of articles in the time of Edward I. &c. — Wheat per quar- 
ter 2s, 2s 4d, 3s 4d, 5s. — maslyn (w'heat and rye mixed) per quarter, 
2s, 2s 4d, 3s 4d. — barley per quarter, 20d, 2s - 8d, 3s, 3s 4d, 4s. — 
beans per quarter, 2s, 2s 8d. 3s, 3s 4cl, 4s. — Oats per quarter, 20d, 
2s, 2s 4d. — pill come; from the mill, per quarter, 3s, or 3s 8d. — an 
oxe, 10s, 11s, 12s. — cow and calf, 9s, 10s.— -bacon hog, 5s, 5s 6d. — 
fat porket, 2s, 2s 2d. — fat sheepe, 17d, 18d, 20d, 2s. — lambe, lOd 
or 12d. — goose, 3d. — capon, 2d.— -a hen, IJd. — a duck. Id. — four 
pigeons, Id.^ — twenty eggs, 1, 
