A wager of law is essentially a character reference by, initially kin and later neighbours (in the same region as the defendant), often 11 to 12 men, and was a way to give credibility to the oath of a defendant at a time when the wager of law had more credibility than account books. Compare to legal wager, which is the provision of surity at the beginning of legal action to minimize frivolous litigation.
网络释义
1、宣誓断讼法
[20]“宣誓断讼法”（wager of Law）是一种中世纪的裁判方法，被许多侵入罗马帝国的蛮族和部落采用。