The answer made by a prisoner, when arraigned, inanswer to the question, “How will you be tried” In the ancient practice he had thechoice (as appears by the question) whether to submit to the trial by ordeal (by God) orto be tried by a jury, (by the country;) and It is probable that the original form of theanswer was, “By God or my country,” whereby the prisoner averred his innocence bydeclining neither of the modes of trial.
GOD-BOTE »
