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Key and the Bible (A)

.

Employed to discover whether plaintiff or defendant is guilty. The Bible is opened either at Ruth, chap. i., or at the 51st Psalm; and a door-key is so placed inside the Bible, that the handle projects beyond the book. The Bible, being tied with a piece of string, is then held by the fourth fingers of the accuser and defendant, who must repeat the words touched by the wards of the key. It is said, as the words are repeated, that the key will turn towards the guilty person, and the Bible fall to the ground.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Ketmir or Katmir
Kettle (A)
Kettle of Fish
Kettledrum
Kettledrummle (Gabriel.)
Kevin (St.)
Kex
Key
Key-cold
Key-stone
Key and the Bible (A)
Key of a Cipher
Key of the Mediterranean
Key of Russia
Key of Spain
Keys
Keys
Keys (The House of)
Keyne (St.)
Khedive dEgypte
Khorassan [Region of the Sun]