[869] Anthol. IX. 125.—Cf. Julian. Imp. Epist. XVI.—Claud. in Rufinum II. 110.—Pliny describes (Nat. Hist. VII. ii.) a somewhat similar custom ascribed to the Pselli, an African tribe who exhaled an odor which put serpents to sleep. Each new-born child was exposed to a poisonous snake, when if it were legitimate the reptile would not touch it, while if adulterine it was bitten. Another version of the same story is given by Ælian (De Nat. Animal. I. lvii.).
[870] Keyser’s Religion of the Northmen, Pennock’s Translation, p. 259. The extreme simplicity of the skirsla finds its counterpart in modern times in the ordeal of the staff, as used in the Ardennes and described hereafter.
[871] First Test of Pardessus, Tit. liii. lvi.
[872] Decret. Tassilon. Tit. ii. § 7.
[873] Grimm, ap. Pictet, Origines Indo-Européennes, III. 117.
[874] Annal. Saxo ann. 1039.—Ruskaia Prawda, art. 28 (Esneaux, Hist. de Russie, I. 181).
[875] L. Wisigoth. VI. i. 3.
[876] Lib. adv. Leg. Gundobadi iv. vi.
[877] Senatus Consult. de Monticolis Waliæ c. ii.
[878] A great variety of these Ordines will be found in the collections of Baluze, Martène, Pez, Muratori, Spelman, and others. From these we derive most of our knowledge as to the details of the various processes.