Legal Definitions - corsnaed

The term corsnaed refers to a specific practice within medieval European judicial systems, specifically the "ordeal of the morsel." It designates the consecrated piece of bread or cheese that an accused person was required to consume as a means of proving their guilt or innocence.

In this ordeal, it was believed that divine intervention would prevent a guilty person from swallowing the sacred morsel without difficulty, causing them to choke, gag, or show other signs of distress. An innocent person, by contrast, was expected to consume the corsnaed without issue, thereby demonstrating their truthfulness.

Here are some examples illustrating the application of the corsnaed:

• Example 1: Accusation of Theft

  Imagine a medieval village where a local miller is accused of stealing sacks of flour from the communal storehouse. With no eyewitnesses or conclusive physical evidence, the village elder, acting as a judge, might order the miller to undergo the ordeal of the morsel. The miller would be presented with the corsnaed – a piece of consecrated bread. If he successfully swallowed it without choking or showing any physical signs of distress, he would be declared innocent, as it was believed God had allowed him to consume the sacred food. Conversely, if he choked, it would be taken as a divine sign of his guilt.

• Example 2: Dispute Over a Contract

  Consider a scenario where two merchants are in dispute over whether a specific clause was included in a verbal agreement for a large trade deal. One merchant accuses the other of deceitfully omitting a crucial detail. To resolve this impasse, and in the absence of written proof, the accused merchant might be compelled to undergo the ordeal. The corsnaed, in this case, would be the consecrated food he must consume. His ability to swallow it cleanly would be interpreted as divine confirmation of his honesty regarding the contract terms, while any difficulty would suggest he was lying.

• Example 3: Accusation of Perjury in a Feudal Court

  During a feudal court proceeding, a witness provides testimony that directly contradicts another's account, leading to an accusation of perjury. To determine the truth and the credibility of the witness, the court might resort to the ordeal of the morsel. The accused perjurer would be given the corsnaed. If they were able to swallow the consecrated cheese without incident, it would be seen as proof that their testimony was truthful. However, if they struggled to ingest it, it would be taken as a sign that they had indeed lied under oath, potentially leading to severe penalties.