Legal antiquities

The title page calls Legal antiquities a collection of essays upon ancient laws and customs. The book is by Edward J. White. The chapter on Wager of Law says wager of law, in ancient England, was the practice whereby the defendant was allowed to make oath denying the charge of the complainant and supporting his oath by the oaths of a certain number of his friends or neighbors.

The text says that in the year 1587 the Star Chamber refused to entertain a criminal charge of perjury against a man who was charged with having perjured himself in waging his law, in a prior proceeding. The text records that Chief Justice Holt replied, “We can admonish him, but if he will stand by his law, we cannot hinder it, seeing it is a method the law allows.” The text says that the religious ceremony in an early day was held essential to endow the wife with the right to the husband's land, and that Bracton tells us the endowment can only be made at the church door.