Corsned facts for kids

The corsned was a really old way of figuring out if someone was innocent or guilty. It was like a special test, or "trial by ordeal," used in Anglo-Saxon times (a long, long time ago in England). People also called it the "accursed morsel" or "sacred morsel."

Here's how it worked: If someone was suspected of doing something wrong, they would have to eat a small piece of barley bread and cheese. This food was special because a priest would say prayers over it, almost like a blessing or a curse. The idea was that if the person was guilty, the bread would make them choke, turn pale, or have spasms. But if they were innocent, they would be able to swallow it easily, and it would just become regular food.

This practice was mentioned in laws from before the year 1000 AD, like those from King Ethelred II and Canute the Great. Some historians think it was similar to an old test called the "water of jealousy" described in the Bible.

How the Corsned Ordeal Worked

During the corsned ordeal, a priest would write the Lord's Prayer on the bread. He would carefully weigh out about an ounce of bread and cheese. The person being tested would stand on a cross made of wood, and the priest would hold another cross over their head.

Then, the priest would put the bread and cheese into the person's mouth. As they ate, the priest would say a powerful prayer. This prayer asked God to make the bread and cheese stick in the person's throat if they were guilty. It even said the person might tremble or throw up blood if they had committed the crime.

Another prayer was also said three times. This prayer asked God to prevent the food from going down the throat of anyone who had committed, helped with, or knew about the crime. It even called out an "unclean dragon" (meaning evil) and commanded it not to let the guilty person eat the food.

Who Used the Corsned?

Some people believed the corsned was mainly for priests or religious people. However, there's a famous story about Godwin, Earl of Wessex, a powerful nobleman, who supposedly died from the corsned in 1053. He was trying to prove he had nothing to do with the death of King Edward the Confessor's brother. But this story comes from a source that was later found to be a fake.

Over time, the corsned and other trials by ordeal were slowly stopped. You might still hear phrases today like "May this piece of bread choke me!" or "May this morsel be my last!" These sayings actually come from the old custom of the corsned.