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Cursed Bread
A bread
used in ancient times for divinatory purposes. It was sometimes called the
ordeal or fear of bread. The bread, about an ounce in weight, having a spell
put on it was given to a suspected person to eat. If the person choked on
it or became sick, then he was declared guilty. But, if he remained well
then he was said to be innocent. Barely was most likely used in the bread
to cause choking. This method of trail by bread was used by the Anglo-Saxons.
A.G.H.
Source: 9.