For many centuries, parishioners had to pay a mandatory tithe, which was a religious tax requiring them to give a percentage (often one tenth) of their yearly income or produce to the church. This payment supported the local parish priest and the upkeep of the church building.
Northamptonshire records library holds the original documents that lay out the tithes that were due to the vicar in Welton in 1623. As you can see opposite, they were beautifully handwritten.
A group of local men were appointed to come to an agreement between the vicar, Richard Patrick, and parishioners about the level of tithes. Their decision set out, in detail, what the vicar was entitled to receive and how parishioners should pay it. Both sides agreed to these rules.
It makes for fascinating reading. Below is a summary of what every parishioner would have to give. It seems taxation worries have been with us for a very long time!
Calves and Cows
If a farmer had ten calves in a year, the vicar received one calf as his tithe.
If fewer than ten calves were born, the vicar received no calf, but small payments were due if calves were killed for household use or sold.
New milking cows required a small payment to the vicar, depending on how long they were kept and whether they were sold.
Sheep and Wool
Sheep kept from New Year’s Day until shearing owed tithe wool.
Selling sheep before 1 June required a half‑penny per sheep instead.
Complex rules covered situations where sheep were sold and then bought again before shearing, ensuring the vicar still received his fair share.
Lambs
All lambs born in the parish were titheable.
On Holy Rood Day, the owner chose two lambs, and the vicar took one‑fifth of the remainder.
If lambs had to be sold early, the vicar chose and marked his tithe lambs, which the owner kept for him until Holy Rood Day.
Other Livestock
Pigs were tithed in the same way as lambs.
Pigeons were tithed “as they fall” — meaning whenever they were produced.
If fewer than nine lambs were born, no lamb was due, but a small payment was made instead.
Honey, Wax, and Bees
The vicar received one‑tenth of the money from honey, wax, and similar goods.
If a hive was used entirely in the household and nothing sold, only a half‑penny per hive was due.
Fruit and Hemp
The vicar received tithes of all fruit grown in the parish — apples, pears, plums, cherries, and more.
Hemp grown in the village was also titheable, but in return the vicar had to provide bell‑ropes for the church.
Household Payments
Every householder paid four pence per year:
- Two pence at Easter
- Two pence at Martinmas
Every servant and every communicant son or daughter paid one penny at Easter.
Eggs and Goslings
On Good Friday, parishioners paid tithe eggs:
- Two eggs per hen or duck
- Three eggs per cock or drake
Goslings were tithed in the same way as lambs.
Mortuaries and Burials
Mortuaries were paid according to national law.
Burials inside the church cost three shillings and four pence, paid to the vicar.
Agreement
Both the vicar and the parishioners agreed that these customs were correct, and the arbitrators signed to confirm the settlement.
If you would like to see a transcription of the original pages you can click on the box below.
The Award, Judgement & final Determination of Richard Marriott, George Beadles, William Willis, & Richard Rogers indifferently chosen as well of Richard Patrick Vicar of the Parish Church of Welton in the County of Northampton, as John Newport Esq …
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….. William Tims Esq., Edward Adams, William Adams, Thomas Clarke, Richard Hickman, William Gough, & other the Inhabitants within the Town of Welton aforesaid do award & determin of & upon all Suits & Controversies moved between yᵉ Parties, & for & concerning yᵉ right manner of Tythings & Offerings in Welton for the time to come, made the second Day of April 1623, hereafter in these Presents particularly expressed.
First We award that all the said Suits & Controversies shall cease & determine, and be no further proceeded in.
Item we award, judge, & determine Every Parishioner of Welton aforesaid having in any one Year ten Calves in the Parish of Welton the Vicar ought to have one of them in kind for Tythe due to him at one Month’s end; but if he have not full ten Calves, the Vicar ought not nor hath not accustomed to have any tythe Calf in kind; provided always that the selling of one or two so near calving, or in good part wintered shall not hinder his tythe Calf in kind.
Item if any Parishioner in Welton hath heretofore sold, or shall…
If any Calf before the Day of St Martin the Bishop in Winter being alway the eleventh of November then the Vicar hath used & ought to have the tenth part of the Money for which ye sd Calf hath been or shall be sold. But if in Case any Parishioner have killed or shall kill for his own Use and Family any Calf, then the Vicar hath accustomed & shall have only one half penny for every Calf so killed & spent. Yet nevertheless if the Parishioner have sold or shall sell any part of ye Flesh of ye sd Calf to any Person whatsoever then the Vicar hath accustomed & ought to have ye tenth part of ye Worth of ye said Calf so killed, part thereof being sold.
Item If any Parishioner hath reard reard or bred, or shall breed any Calf or Calves sale within ye aforesd Parish of Weston, then ye sd Parishioner hath also used & ought to pay to the sd Vicar for every Calf so reard reard or bred one half penny only, half ye same Calf or Calves so reard or bred be sold before the Feast of St Martin next immediately after ye rearing thereof, then the same Parishioner hath accustomed & ought to pay to the Vicar ye tenth part of ye Money yt the Calf so reard reard or bred shall be sold for.
Item Every Parishioner hath accustomed & ought to pay to ye Vicar for every new milch Cow giving Milk ten Days after ye Calf is taken off only two Pence. If any new Milch Cow remain but only ten Days in ye Custody of any Parishioner giving Milk as aforesd & afterward sold, then for yt Cow is due to…
…the Vicar only two Pence. And if any, or ye same new Milk Cow be sold to one, two, or three Inhabitants, or more of ye Parish of Wilton, & remain ye space of ten Days or upwards in his, her, or their several Custodies giving Milk as aforesd. then every one of ye sd. Parties severally hath accustomed bought to pay to ye Vicar two Pence apiece for the Milk of that one & the same Cow: for every old Milk Cow and Parishioner one only one Penny is due to ye Vicar, payable in that manner before expressed for another Milk Cow. The Money due for Beasts, Calves & Milk is to be paid at Martlemas.
Item Every Parishioner having Sheep within the Parish on New Years Day, since fraud, and keeps them till they be shorn, the Vicar hath accustomed bought to have Tyth Wool in hand of the same: but if he hath sold or shall sell any of the said sheep to one fide, before ye first Day of June then ye Parishioner hath used to pay bought to pay for every Sheep so sold one Half penny. If ye same Parishioner that sell buy Sheep again before Shear time, if the Number bought do exceed the Number sold, then the Parishioner is to pay Wool in kind for so many Sheep as he sold, for the Overplus only one Half penny a piece: but if ye Number bought be less than ye Number sold then to pay Wool in kind for as many as he bought, & for ye Residue sold one Half penny a piece: Provided alway if any Sheep sold do break a Tyth, then ye Parishioner hath used to pay and ought to pay a Tyth Fleece for ye Tyth so broken, provided likewise there be no Fraud in selling or buying, in having, or not having Sheep at…
New Years-tide.
Item If any Parishner hath sold or shall sell any Sheep upon or after yᵉ first Day of June, & before Shear time, then yᵉ Parishner shall pay for as many Sheep as be sold Wool in kind out of those yᵗ remain, or Money, according as the Fifthe of yᵉ Sheep sold shall be thought worth.
Item All Lambs falling within yᵉ Parish are tytheable to yᵉ Vicar. The manner of them is as follows. If any Parishner on Holy rood Day have ten Lambs, the Owner is to choose two, & the Vicar to take his Fifthe out of the rest, and after this Order, what Number soever any Man hath, if any Man hath between ten & seven, the Owner is to take his two choice Lambs, and then the Vicar one for his Fifthe, paying to yᵉ Owner so many half pence as there want of yᵉ Number of ten. If any Parishner shall be constrained upon any Occasion to sell his Ewes & Lambs before Holy rood day, then yᵉ said Parishner hath always, ought to make known his Intent to the Vicar, that yᵉ said Vicar may choose & mark his Lamb, or Lambs out of those wᶜʰ the Owner doth purpose to sell, which Lambs by him chosen and marked, the same are to be kept by the said Owner for yᵉ said Vicar until Holy rood Day then next following, together wᵗʰ such Ewes as shall be yᵉ Dam or Dams of yᵉ said Fifthe Lambs without fraud or Guile.
Owner hath under 9 Number of young Lambs, by reason whereof the Vicar hath no Tithe Lamb paid, then ye Owner of those Lambs is to pay to ye Vicar one half penny a piece for said. Halfpenny is to be paid on Holy rood Day.
Item, If any Parishiner hath or shall bring in Sheep into ye Parrish after New years tide, then there hath been accustomed ought to be paid to ye Vicar one half penny a piece for every sheep so brought in. The Half penny is to be paid at Easter time following without Guile.
Item, If any Parishiner hath the Number of ten Sheep to die or to be kill’d after New years Day, & before Easter time, then the Vicar hath accustomed to have the tenth Parcel of ye said Sheep so dying or being kill’d. If under ye number of ten or seven, then Halfpence a piece.
Item The Vicar hath always had & ought to have ye tenth part of ye Money that all sweet Ware as Honey, Wax &c is sold for, but if in case any Hive of Bees be taken up & spent in the Owners own House, & none of it be sold, then only one Halfpenny is due to the Vicar for every Hive so taken up & wholly spent.
Item If the Pigs are to be kept a whole Month for the Vicar to be received by him at all times as they fall, after the order of Lambs.
The manner of tything of Wool is after this manner, to be paid at the shears. First ye Owner takes two Fleeces out of ye ten laid out, then ye Vicar is to lift ye Cable, beginning at wch ten he pleaseth, and one of those two Fleeces he lifts he is to take for his Tythe. The like manner of tything is to be used for all Tythe Lambs, & tythe Pigs yt fall within ye Parish of Melton aforesaid.
Tythe Pidgeons are due to the Vicar as they fall.
Item there is due to the Vicar Tythe of all Fruits, as Apples, Pears, Plumbs, Cherries &c. The Tythe of Hemp growing within ye Town is due to ye Vicar, provided always the said Vicar must find sufficient Bell-ropes for ye Bells as oft as Need requireth.
Item The Vicar is to have a Garden Penny & Backside Penny paid at Easter. Every Householder is to pay four Pence the Year, two Pence at Easter & two Pence at Martlemas. Every Servant also & communicant Son or Daughter is at Easter, when they receive to pay to ye Vicar a Penny apiece.
Item The Vicar is to have Tythe Eggs to be paid on Good Friday; for every Hen & Duck, two Eggs apiece, for every Cock & Drake three Eggs apiece.
Item Tythe Goslings are due to ye Vicar, to be chosen…
…before as of Lambs, if any be sold, & to be kept by the Owner of them for yᵉ said Vicar until Lammas.
Item Mortuaries according to the Statute, & three Shillings & four Pence for burying in the Church are due to the Vicar.
These Customs being shown to the Vicar, & Parishioners, as well the said Vicar, as yᵉ said Parishioners did mutually consent and acknowledge to be true. In Witness whereof the Arbitrators have hereunto set their Hands. &c
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