Compurgation was a religious way of punishment. Comes from the Latin: com (with) and purgare (clean, cleanse, excuse). It basically means "with excuse".
Eleven (or tweleve) people would swear an oath to God that the on who was said to commit a crime was innoccent. However, if eleven other people of higher power than the original eleven said the person was guilty, then they were guilty. The people would acually have no idea what the man/woman may have done. They only defended the person if they believed they were telling the truth about being innocent. Compurgation was also known as "Wager of the Law".
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