Compurgation, also called wager of law, is a defense used primarily in medieval law. A defendant could establish his innocence or nonliability by taking an oath and by getting a required number of persons, typically twelve, to swear they believed his oath. Compurgation was found in early Germanic law, in Welsh law and in English ecclesiastical courts until the 17th century. In common law it was substantially abolished as a defense in felonies by the Constitutions of Clarendon in 1164. The defense was still permitted in civil actions for debt and vestiges of it survived in England until its final abolition in 1833. It never existed in the United States. Codified by Hywel Dda (Hywell the Good) in the early 10th century, the laws of the Welsh Princes were significantly more complex than would be found in other ares of Western Europe for centuries. ... An ecclesiastical court (also called Court Christian) is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. ... The Constitutions of Clarendon were a set of legislative procedures passed by Henry II of England in 1164. ... Events Count Henry I of Champagne marries Marie de Champagne. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: God Save the King/Queen Capital London (de facto) Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi  Population    - 2006 est. ...