CYRICSCEAT.
I do not think it necessary to repeat here the arguments which I have used elsewhere[1045], to show that Cyricsceat has nothing whatever to do with our modern church-rates, or that these arose from papal usurpation very long after the Norman Conquest. I can indeed only express my surprise that any churchman should still be found willing to continue a system which exposes the dignity and peace of the church to be disturbed by any schismatic who may see in agitation a cheap step to popularity. But as the question has been put in that light, it may be convenient for the sake of reference to collect the principal passages in the laws and charters which refer to the impost. They are the following:—
“Be cyricsceattum. Cyricsceattas sýn ágifene be Seint Martines mæssan. Gif hwá ðæt ne gelǽste, sý he scyldig LX scill. and be twelffealdum ágyfe ðone cyricsceat.” Ine, § 4; Thorpe, i. 104.
“Be cyricsceattum. Cyricsceat mon sceal ágifan tó ðæm healme and to ðæm heorðe ðe se man on bið tó middum wintra.” Ine, § 61; Thorpe, i. 140.
“And ic wille eác ðæt míne geréfan gedón ðæt man ágyfe ða cyricsceattas and ða sáwlsceattas tó ðám stowum, ðe hit mid rihte tó gebyrige.” Æthelst. i.; Thorpe, i. 196.
“Be teoðungum and cyricsceattum. Teoðunge we bebeódað ǽlcum cristenum men be his cristendóme, and cyricsceat, and ælmesfeoh. Gif hit hwá dón nylle, sý he amansumod.” Eádm. i. § 2; Thorpe, i. 244.
“Be cyricsceat. Gif hwá ðonne þegna sý, ðe on his bóclande cyrican hæbbe, ðe legerstowe on sý, gesylle he ðonne þriddan dǽl his ágenre teoðunge intó his cyrican. Gif hwá cyrican hæbbe,
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ðe legerstow on ne sý, ðonne dó he of ðǽm nygan dǽlum his preost ðæt ðæt he wille. And gá ylc cyricsceat intó ðæm ealdan mynster be ǽlcum frigan (h)eorðe.” Eádgár, i. § 1, 2; Thorpe, i. 262.
“Neádgafol úres drihtnes, ðæt sýn úre teoðunga and cyricsceattas.” Eádgár, Supp. § 1; Thorpe, i. 270.
“And cyricsceat tó Martinus mæssan.” Æðelr. vi. § 18; Thorpe, i. 320.
“And cyricsceat gelǽste man be Martinus mæssan, and seðe ðæt ne gelǽste, forgilde hine mid twelffealdan, and ðám cyninge CXX scill.” Æðelr. ix. § 11; Thorpe, i. 342.
“Et præcipimus, ut omnis homo super dilectionem dei et omnium sanctorum det cyricsceattum et rectam decimam suam, sicut in diebus antecessorum nostrorum stetit, quando melius stetit; hoc est, sicut aratrum peragrabit decimam acram.” Æðelr. viii. § 4; Thorpe, i. 338.
“De ciricsceatto dicit vicecomitatus quod episcopus, de omni terra quæ ad ecclesiam suam pertinet, debet habere, in die festivitatis sancti Martini, unam summam annonæ, qualis melior crescit in ipsa terra, de unaquaque hida libera et villana; et si dies ille fractus fuerit, ille qui retinuerit reddet ipsam summam, et undecies persolvat; et ipse episcopus accipiat inde forisfacturam qualem ipse debet habere de terra sua. De ciricsceatto de Perscora dicit vicecomitatus quod illa ecclesia de Perscora debet habere ipsum ciricsceattum de omnibus ccc hidis, scilicet de unaquaque hida ubi francus homo manet, unam summam annonæ, et si plures habet hidas, sint liberæ; et si dies fractus fuerit, in festivitate sancti Martini, ipse qui retinuerit det ipsam summam et undecies persolvat, abbati de Perscora; et reddat forisfacturam abbati de Westminstre quia sua terra est.” Cart. Heming. i. 49, 50. “De ciricsceate. Dicit vicecomitatus quod de unaquaque hida terræ, libera vel villana, quæ ad ecclesiam de Wirecestre pertinet, debet episcopus habere, in die festo sancti Martini unam summam annonæ, de meliori quæ ibidem crescit; quod si dies ille non reddita annona transierit, qui retinuit annonam reddat, undecies persolvet, et insuper forisfacturam episcopus accipiet, qualem et sua terra habere debet.” Ibid. 1, 308.
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The only instance that I can find of this impost being noticed in the Ecclesiastical Laws, or Recommend............