Question
Question 1 (4 marks)
Describe how trial by ordeal worked in medieval England.
Mark scheme (AO1, 4 marks; 1 mark per developed point):
- God would indicate guilt or innocence through the outcome
- Examples: walking on hot coals; plunging arm in boiling water; trial by cold water (floating = guilty)
- Administered by the Church — clergy performed the ceremony
- Condemned by the Church at the Fourth Lateran Council 1215 — led to trial by jury
- Used because there was no reliable way to determine guilt; community trusted divine judgement
4 marks · take your time before peeking.
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Generated by TopMyGrade AI · cross-check official sources before relying on the mark-scheme phrasing.