The confession entered judicial proofs around the thirteenth century.

Evidence

In the catalogues of judicial proofs, the confession appears in about the thirteenth or fourteenth century. Bernard of Pavia does not refer to it, but it is mentioned by Hostiemis. Crater’s definition is characteristic: ‘Aut legitime convictus aut sponte confessus.’ — Michel Foucault, Discipline & Punish- The Birth of the…, 475

Categorization

• DEFINE: Crater’s ‘legitimately convicted or spontaneously confessed’ formula is a canonical definition worth keeping for the confession’s legal status.