What was an ordeal in germanic law?

The "ordeal" in Germanic law was a means of determining guilt. This law was based on divine intervention. All ordeals iinvolved a physical trial of some sort, such as holding a red-hot iron. It was believed that divine forces would not allow an innocent person to be harmed. If the accused person was unharmed after a physical trial, or ordeal, he or she was presumed innocent. SOURCE: WORLD HISTORY TEST BOOK FROM MCGRAW HILL/GLENCO. (COPYRIGHT 2007) Page 287.