Diaconescu, Marius (szerk.): Mediaevalia Transilvanica 1999 (3. évfolyam, 1-2. szám)
Mentalităţi
The Trial by Hot Iron Ceremony 17 Oradean register kept a great number of cases when not only one, but also two,* 94 95 three,96 four,97 * five, or even eight judges examined the cases.99 3. In front of the judge the litigants present their point of view concerning the case. Usually, the accuser presented the charge, namely the content of the accusation, followed by the accused’s answer. In most of the cases, the accused did not consider himself guilty.100 To prove the truth of their statement the litigants could produce witnesses.101 102 Sometimes the interrogation of the litigants and of the witnesses was conducted in the presence of an ecclesiastical person.10" Sometimes, Andreám a Zomlun, impetierunt Laurentium de villa Latinorum Waradinensium pro occisione servorum eorum, iudice Joachin, Aeconomo...” Ibid., no. 137, p. 202. 94 I counted 1 such case: “Bandu de villa Gyan, portato Varadini ferro ... iustificatus est contra Guta, Boyciud et dominum Kekeu, iudice Ragnaldo, praeposito Varadiensi..Ibid., no. 142, p. 204. 93 I counted 41 such cases. For instance: “Honod impetiit servum Karoli, nomine Petrum, de villa Hot pro furto, iudice Nuethlen curiali comite de Bichor et Marco biloto...” Ibid., no. 16, p. 160. 96 I counted 7 such cases. For instance: “ Domina Macya ... impetiit Petrum et fratrem eius Shyrinchym, ioubagiones Miske comitis de villa Gnezted, et ioubagiones Transyluani episcopi Vilelmi... de occisione seruientis sui et pro rebus suis quadraginta marcas valentibus violenter ablatis, iudicibus Shekedz, curiali comite Myske et Herbort, curiali comite iam dicti episcopi, et Simone socero supradictis comitis...” Ibid., no. 184, p. 220 cp. Jakó, Codex diplomatics, no. 95, p. 148. 97 1 counted 4 such cases. For instance: “Hanc causam [terram castri nomine Scilos cum prato et virgulto cum medietate paludis, nomine Fas, viollenter ocupasset] Tiburtius, Gyula, Alexander et Helias comites vice regia discutientes...” Karácsonyi, and Borovszky, Regestnim Varadinense, no. 310, pp. 269-70. 9R I counted 2 such cases. For example: “Somzou, Sama, Chegur de villa Gyagya impetierunt quosdam de villa Orobag, ... pro damno decem marcarum, arbitris Georgio, Jano, Ambrosio, Guthmar, Joachin...” Ibid., no. 105, p. 191. 99 I counted I such case: “Perman de villa Ip impetiit Stephanum et Egidium, ... arbitris abbate de Libinii et Ders filio Derseo et Pogu villico et Dezuan et Buncu, et Luzen de villa Nog, Bolu et Joachim, villico de Ipu et aliis multis...” Ibid., no. 60, p. 176 cp. Jakó, Codex diplomatics, no. 60, pp. 139-40. 00 See, for instance Margaret’s abduction case from 1213: “Georgius de villa Buht, coadiuvante eum Simone sacerdote de villa Sancti Martini impetiit Micoum de villa Catar de violento raptu filiae suae Margarethae, et hoc ipsum illa astruxit; Micou vero dixit illam uxorem suam legitime ductam esse, et habere nuntium mediatorem, nomine Desc.” Karácsonyi, and Borovszky, Regestnim Varadinense, no. 23, p. 163. 101 In 1220, Olduruh, the accused presented to the judge his witnesses. It is interesting to notice that one of the witnesses proclamed himself as Oduruh's relative and bore the iron for him: “Eel filius Scema de villa Eel, ... impetiit quendam de villa Custa nomine Olduruh, dicens ipsum servum suum esse. Ille autem dixit, se non esse suum servum, sed tavomicorum regis et duxit convillanos suos, cum ioubagionibus tavemicorum, Viviano, Gregorio et Ombud, qui eum dixerunt suum esse contribulem. Quorum unus, nomine Daba, specialius dixit eundem Olduruh suum esse cognatum et, portato pro illo ferro Varadini iustificatus est...” Ibid., no. 271, p. 254; Paul’s case from 1234 is interesting because his witness is the same person who denounced him concerning the criminal case: “Quod, cum illae [Mizla et Vtalou] negassent, memoratus Paulus induxit quendam, nomine Paridem, qui ei de facto illarum suggesserat.” Ibid., no. 381, p. 304. 102 See, a girl-abduction case from 1219: “ Andreas autem respondit, quod non violenter, sed legitime filiam illius nepoti suo in uxorem adduxisset, et similiter hoc perhibuit testimonium ei Lucas sacerdos de villa maioris Geken. Ambrosius itaque, curialis comes magistri Ladislai, praesente archidiacono Paulo, discutiens, misit utramque partem ... Varadinum...” Ibid., no. 197, p. 225.
