[L. Fr. saintz, seintz, seyntz.] From the L. Fr. seintz, or seyntz, used in old statutes and treatises, it has been supposed that it was formerly common in England to swear by the saints, or by God and the saints. See Barringt. Obs. Stat. 177, and notes. This was doubtless the practice on some occasions; but judicial oaths seem to have been uniformly made by, or rather on the gospels. The expressions in Britton,-si luy eyde Dieu et les saintz, (so help him God and the saints,) si lour eyde Dieu et ses seyntz, (so help them God and his saints,) and other passages, (see Britt. cc. 2, 22, 52, 68,) may be explained by the use of the corresponding Latin word sancta, in the parallel passages in Bracton and Fleta. Sicut me Deus adjuvet et hæc sancta. Fleta, lib. 1, с. 18, § 4. Sicipsum Deus adjuvet et hæc sancta. Id. lib. 2, c. 63, § 12. And see Id. lib. 4, c. 9, § 1. That sancta, in these passages, cannot be translated saints, is obvious, not only from the neuter form of the word, but from the invariable use of the pronoun hæc, (these,) in connection with it, indicating that the things sworn by were actually present before the party who made the oath. That evangelia (gospels) was the word to be understood and supplied, appears from passages in which it is actually expressed. See Fleta, lib. 2, c. 12, § 17. The following passage from Bracton is conclusive on this point: After giving the words of the oath taken by the first juror sworn, Hoc auditis justitiarii, quod ego veritatem dicam, &c. sic me Deus adjuvet et hæc sancta Dei evangelia, (Hear this ye justices, that I will speak the truth, &c. so help me God, and these holy gospels of God,) he adds, Et post eum jurabit quilibet aliorum separatim, et per se; Tale sacramentum quale A. primus jurator, s. hic, juravit, ego tenebo ex parte mea, sic me Deus adjuvet et hæc sancta; (and after him shall each of the others separately and by himself swear, such an oath as A. this first juror has sworn, will I keep on my part, so help me God and these holy [gospels.] Bract. fol. 116.