Compurgators

Compurgators were twelve persons whom Anglo-Saxon law permitted the accused to call in proof of his innocence, and who joined their oaths to his. They were persons taken from the neighbourhood, or otherwise known to the accused. It was rather in the character of witnesses than of jurymen that they acted, though the institution has been spoken of as the Anglo-Saxon jury; what they swore to was not so much their knowledge, as their belief. The number of compurgators varied with the rank of the parties and the nature of the accusation, but was usually twelve. The system of compurgators was adopted even in civil actions for debt. Compurgation, which was a custom common to most of the Teutonic races, fell into disuse after the conquest; but the ceremony of what was called canonical purgation of clerks-convict, was not abolished in England till the reign of Elizabeth. See JURY TRIAL.