The Book of Deer Volume 35; ed. for the Spalding club

Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1869 Excerpt: ...called parsons tenentes qui dicebantur per8one), laymen, it would seem, who had the name and revenues of the parson, but did not possess the sacerdotal function, and who had sub-tenants under them, having houses of their own, and cattle which they pastured on the common. The fixed rent or 'conveth' due to the see would seem to have been two or three cows; and, small as the tribute was, the poverty of the occupants was such, that the bishop did not always enforce its payment. He appears, like the Irish prelates of more recent times, to have found his chief profit in the right of hospitality, or refection, lodging, and attendance, which he exacted for himself and for his servants whenever they visited the neighbourhood. Such was the tenure of the church-land. The lay manor of Arbuthnott was farmed from the crown by a steward or thane, until King Malcolm bestowed it in property upon Osbert Olifard, the crusader. He, too, possessed by a steward or thane. His successor Walter gave the land to Hugh of Swinton, the progenitor of all the Arbuthnotts. These occupied the manor themselves, and, although they were its lords, seem to have been styled in common speech its thanes. Their claims soon began to clash with those of the bishop. Although the church-land and its inhabitants belonged to the See of St. Andrews, the lay lord of Arbuthnott had certain rights over them. Every house in the ' Kirktown 1 was bound to give him yearly ten cheeses, made of the whole milk at midsiunmer, and to furnish three men for gathering his corns in harvest. The bishop seems also to have paid him a certain 1 cane' or rent. He had besides an equal share with the bishop in the ' merchets' and ' blood wits,' the fines for marriage and bloodshed, levied from the men of the lands, although t...