The Morning herald., 1878-12-31
SWEARING ON BRACELET, SWORD
AND CROSS. ,a 1

Several oaths of the middle ages wer,
borrowed from the Pagans, as oaths upou
arms, the usual mode Of adjuration among
Northern nations; upon the scabbard eftht
sword; confirmation of the oath by joining
hands; by taking hold Of ths hem OF the
garment; swearing by the feet Of the abbo,
aud monks; upon bracelets, and others
Concerning the bracelet oath, Sir Henry
Ellis has observed that Arngrim Jonas, in
his work on Iceland, describes bracelet
of twenty ounces weight, which was KEEP,
upon the altar, and being sprinkled with
the blood of victims, was touched by those
who took any solemn oath. He says il
was either of silver, or of silver and brass
mixed. He adds, in another rage, that for
this purpose it was worn on the Judges
arm during trial. Sir Henry Ellis was
reminded by this "of very remarkable
passage in the Saxon Chronicles, made
under the year 1875, where, when the
Danes made peace With the English Al
fred, at Warsham, in Wesssx, they gave
him. the noblest among them as hostages,
and swore an oath to him on the holy
bracelet" OF swearing on the sword, we
have an interesting instance in tho life Of
the great Gustavus Vssa, Of Sweden. In
l540 he assembled the States, ia which it
was decided that the monarchy should be
hereditary; whereupon the King drew his
sword and extended it before him, saying.
I'm the name of the Holy Trinity and by
the power of Almighty God, who hath
bestowed on us our children, and hath
caused them to bs the heirs Of the Swedish
Empire, we stretch over you the sword OF
justice, as testimony from us and our
heirs, to you and all our subjects, faithfully
to guide, guard and rule you, and for con.
frmation, stand forth each one Of you, and
touching the sword with your corporal
fingers, thus repeat the oath Of truth and
fidelity, that to us and our heirs you have
freely offered" Hearing this. the States
approached. Senators, mobiles, citizens,
peasants, all laid their hands on the royal
sword, and each took the oath of allegiance
and fidelity. Swearing on the cross was
practiced by the Russians from early
times; thus, in 1857, on the conclusion Of
treaty of peace with Sweden. Ivan
ratified it by kissing the cross before the
eyes of the ambassadors, ceremony that
was repeated by his representative at
Stock-holm,in in the presence of the Swedish
monarch. In the reform of the statutes Of
the Order of the Garter by Henry VIII,
the knights were enioined to make gen.
eral oath upon the holy gospels to obey
the statutes without fraud or dslusion,"
touching the book and kissing the cross
Seldsn mentions an oath taken by the
spaniards, which is very curious: "If
first designedly fail of this oath, on that
day, We powers above torment my body
iu this life, and my soul in the next, with
hsrrid torturss. Make my strength snd
nay words fail. In battle, let my horse and
arms and spurs and subjects fail me, wher
need is sorest." This oath was confirmed
by the parties sharing between them tn
consecrated water. Ths "oath by th'
BOSOM" formerly observed in Germany
had curious and interesting origin Wo
men and boys were generally accustomed
to carry on their bosom. suspended from
the neck, small copy Of the gospel; so tn
hand, when laid upon the breast, was, ii
reality, | lid upon the gospel. Chrysoston
mentions similar custom as prevailing ii
his time.-All the Year Round.