The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-09-16
StIsfEIGamq,
THE WIDOWS ORDEAL:
a JUDICIAL TRIAL BY COMBAT.
BY WASHINGTON IRVINE.

III ' u uI1AJ anu cSCGILdlLlItS
r guilt or innocence. In its homage,
when the man was yet a fallible being,
and doubted the accuracy of his own
intellect, appeals were made to heaven
in dark and doubtful cases of atrocious
accusation.
The accused was required to plunge
his hand in boiling oil, or to walk across
tred-hOt pIough-shares, or to maintain
his innocence in armed fight and listed
field, i'll person or by champion. If he
passed these Ordeals unscathed, he
stood acquitted, and the result was re-
garded as a verdict from on high.
1t is somewhat remarkable that, in
the gallant age of chivalry, the gentler
sex should have been most frequently
the subjects of these rude trials any per-
ilous ordeals; and that, too, when as
sailed in their most delicate and Vulner-
able part-their honor.
In the present very old and enlight-
ened age of the world, when the hu-
man intellect is perfectly competent to
the management of its own concerns,
and needs no special interpositiOn of
heaven in its affairs, the trial by jury
has superseded these superhuman or
ideals; and unanimity of twelve dis
cOrdant minds is necessary to consti-
tute verdict. Such a unanimity
would, at first sight, appear also to re-
quire miracle from heaven; but it is
produced by a simple device of human
ingenuity. The twelve jurors are lock-
ed up in in their box, there to fast un-
til abstinence shall have so clarified
their intellects that the whole iarring
panel can discern the truth, and con-
cur i'll a unanimous decision. One,
point is certain, that truth is one, and
is immutable-untilt the jurors all agree,
they cannot all be right.
1t is not our intention however to
! discuss this great judicial point, or to
! question the aVOwed superiority of the
mode of investigating truth, adopted in
| this antiquated and very sagaciOus era.
1t Is our object merely to exhibit to the
curious reader, one of the most memor-
| able cases OfjudiciaI combat we find in
the annals of Spain. u occurred at the
| bright cOmmencenst of the reign,
Gus days of ROderick the Goth; who
subsequently tarnished his fame at
home by his misdeeds, and, finally,
| lost his kingdom and his life on the
banks of the Gaudalete, in that disas-
trOus battle, which gave up Spain a
conquest to the MoOrs. The following
is the story:
There was, once upon q time, a GER
| tain duke of Lorraine, who was ac-
knOWledged throughout his doneains to
be one of the wisest princes that ever
lived. In fact, there was not any one
measure that he adopted that did not
astOnish all his prIvy cOunsellOrs and
Sentleman in attendance: and he said
so many witty things, and made such
sensible speeches, that his high cham
berlain had his jaws dislocated from
laughing with delight at the one, and
gaping with wonder at the other.
This very witty and exceedingly wise
pOtentate lived for half a century in
single blessedness, when his courtiers
began to think it great pity so wise
and wealthy a prince should not have
child after his own likeness, to in
herit his talents and domains; so they
urged him most respectfully to marry,
for the good of his estate, and the well
fare Of his subjects.
He turned their advice over in his
mind some four or five years, and then
sending emissaries to all parts, he
summoned to his court all the beautiful
maidens in the land who were anbi-
tious of sharing a ducal crown. The
court was soon crowded with beauties
of all styles. and compilations, from
among whOnShe chose one in the ear
liest budding of her charms, and ac-
knOWledged by all the gentlemen to be
unparallel for grace and 1Oveliness. The
couTtiers eXtOlled the duke to the skies
for making such a choice, and consid-
cred it another proof of his great wis
dom. 1.-THE duke,U said they, fis
waxing little too old; the damsel, on
the other hand, is a little too young if
one is lacking in years, the other has
superabundance; thus want on one
side is balanced by an excess on the
other, and the result is a well-assOrted
marriage"
The duke, as is often the case with
wise men, who marry rather late, and
| take damsels rather youthful to their
| bOsOn1s, became dOatingly fond of his
wife, and INDUCED her in all things.
| He was, consequently, cried up by his
subjects in general, and by the ladies
in particular, as pattern for husbands;
and, in the end; from the wonderful
dOcility with which he submitted to be
reined and checked, acquired the amia-
| ble and enViable appellatiOn of duke
Philibert the wife-ridden.
There was only one thing that dis
| tuTbed the conjugal felicity of this par
agOn of husbands: though a consider
| able time elapsed after his marriage, he
still remained without any prospect of
an heir. The good duke left no means
untried to prOpitiate heaven; he made
VOWS and pilgTimages, he tasted and
| prayed, but all to no purpose. The
! cOurtiers were all astOniShed at the cir
| cumstance. They could not account
| for it. While the meanest peasant in
| the country had sturdy brats by dozens,
without putting up prayer, the duke
wore himself to skin and bone with
penances and fastings, yet seemed far
| ther off from his object than ever.
| At length, the worthy prince fell
| dangerously i'll, and felt his end ap-
preaching. He looked with serrOwful
eyes upon his young and tender spouse,
| who hung over him with tears and
Isobbings. "Alas ~ said he tears are
soon dried from youthful eyes, and sor-
row lies lightly on a youthful heart.
| In little while l shall be 10 more, and
| in the'arms of another husband thou
! wilt forget him who has loved thee so
| tenderly."
tfNeTer! neverr cried the duchess.
" Never will 1 cleave to another! Alas,
that my lord should think me capable
Of such Inconsistency !"
The worthy and Wife-ridden duke
was sGOthed by her assurances; Tor he
could not endure the thought of giving
! her up even after he should be dead.
Still he wished to have some pledge of
her enduring cOnstancy.
"FaT be it from me, my dearest Vile,
SAID he, TO cOnIrOlt tnee InfOuSl louS
life. A year and day of strict tidel-
ity will appease my troubled spirit.
Promise to remain faithful to my mem
ory for year and a day, and will
die in peace"
The duchess made solemn VOW to
that effect. The uXOriOus feelings of
the duke were not yet satisfied. "Safs
bind, safe find" thought he; so he
made a will, in which he bequeathed
to her all his domains, on condition of