"And the angel, which I saw stand upon the sea and the earth, lifted up
his hand to heaven and sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever,"
&c.--Revelation, ch. x. v. 5, 6.
Your correspondent inquires how oaths were taken prior to their being taken
on the Gospel.
Among the nations who overthrew the Roman empire, the most common mode of
swearing was on the relics of the saints. In England, I think, the most
common mode was to swear on the corporalia or eucharistic elements, whence
we still have the common phrase "upon your corporal oath." In each case the
hand was placed on the thing sworn by.
The laws of the Alamanni as to conjurators, direct that the sacrament shall
be so arranged that all the conjurators shall place their hands upon the
coffer (containing the relics), and that the principal party shall place
his hand on all theirs, and then they are to swear on the relics. (_Ll.
Alam._ cap. 657.)
The custom of swearing on the Gospels is repeatedly mentioned in the laws
of the Lombards. (_Ll. Longo._ 1 tit. 21. c. 25.; _Ll. Longo._ 2. tit. 55.
c. 2., and c. 2. tit. 34. _et al._)
In the _Formularies of Marculphus_, two forms of oaths are given, one says
that--
"In palatio nostro super capella domini Martini ubi reliqua sacramenta
percurrunt debeat conjurare."