Fóre-áþ

According to the Old English Dictionary:

fór-áþ, es;

fóre-áþ

m. A fore-oath, an oath first taken; antejūrāmentum, præjūrāmentum, præjūrātio :-- So called because it was that by which every accuser or plaintiff commenced his accusation or suit against the accused or defendant. To this the defendant opposed his own fóre-áþ, thereby pleading not guilty to the charge. The oaths both of plaintiff and defendant were supported by consacramentals, respecting the number of which see L. H. 66, § 8; Th. i. 569: AÞ II, III. If the fóre-áþ of the accuser failed, the charge was quashed and the accused set at liberty :-- Ofgá ǽlc man his tíhtlan mid fóreáþe let every man begin his charge with a fore-oath, L. Ath. i. 23; Th. i. 212, 5. Agife ðone fóreáþ on feówer ciricum let him make his fore-oath in four churches, L. Alf. pol. 33; Th. i. 82, 7. Ofgá his spræce mid fóráþe let him begin his suit with a fore-oath, L. O. D. 6; Th. i. 354, 31: L. Ath. iv. 2; Th. i. 222, 16. Ofgá man ánfealde láde mid ánfealdan fóráþe and þrýfealde láde mid þrýfealdan fóráþe one may proceed to a simple exculpation with a simple fore-oath and to a threefold exculpation with a threefold fore-oath L. C. S. 22; Th. i. 388, 15; cf. Schmid. Ges. der Angelsachsen, foráþ. fore-aþ,for-aþ

Related words: also