Legal Definitions - bread-and-cheese ordeal

Definition: A primitive form of trial in which an accused person was subjected to a dangerous or painful physical test, the result being considered a divine revelation of the person's guilt or innocence. The bread-and-cheese ordeal involved giving the accused a piece of bread or cheese that a priest had charged to stick in the throat of the guilty. If the person choked, they were declared guilty; if not, they were declared innocent.

Example: In medieval Europe, the bread-and-cheese ordeal was used to determine the guilt or innocence of someone accused of a crime. The accused would be given a piece of bread or cheese that had been blessed by a priest, and if they choked on it, they were considered guilty. This was believed to be a sign from God that the accused was guilty and should be punished.

Explanation: The bread-and-cheese ordeal was a way for people in medieval Europe to determine the guilt or innocence of someone accused of a crime. It was believed that God would reveal the truth through this physical test, and the accused would either choke on the bread or cheese or not. This was seen as a divine revelation of their guilt or innocence, and the outcome would determine their fate.