The things they will do for memory in medieval times.

I was watching a great course on Medieval England with Professor Jennifer Paxton, and she said that when a sale of land was complete, they would slap the youngest person across the face, so that that person could attest in court. They slap the person to they remember. And the youngest person so that their memory insurance is the longest lasting. It almost makes for a comedy routine, poor young guy who keeps getting slapped so that people remember, and he forgets because he's always getting slapped and he was slapped too many times, so they don't form a memory.