By the Rev. J. E. Jackson. 



33 



property included almost every parish round the town, Charlton, 

 Haukerton, Brokenborough, Newnton, Norton, Corston, Rodbourne, 

 Cole-park, Brinkworth, Lee and Cleverton, Garsdon and Whit- 

 church, besides a great deal beyond and elsewhere. The value was 

 returned at £803 a year in the money of those days. This would 

 equal several thousands of our money ; but the returns then made of 

 the value of Abbey lands were notoriously under the mark, being 

 made by the stewards, who wished to be, and became, the principal 

 purchasers. 



One or two points about the finances of the monks may not be 

 uninteresting. Their rents and tithes, &c, were not all received 

 under one general head, but were classified, belonging to different 

 departments, each of which had its receiver and other officers. 

 Some lands provided the income of the Abbot himself, who had 

 his own receiver. Other lands were charged with the special 

 maintenance either of the monks, or the sacristan, the almoner, 

 the infirmary, or the pitancer. 



The pitancer, by the way, was an officer whose duties were delicate, 

 and must have made him now and then rather unpopular, for it 

 was his business to settle the allowances of eatables and drinkables. 

 The word, which should be spelt with a single t, is derived from 

 an old French one, pite, a very small coin. The distribution of 

 good things on certain days, according to the rules, may not have 

 been always quite so generous as appetite anticipated, and if, instead 

 of a broad slice, the cover being lifted up disclosed only an invisible 

 bit, disappointment may have bestowed upon it the nickname of a 

 pitance, or farthing's worth. 



The Monastery kitchen had lands of its own. These lay chiefly 

 at Brinkworth, Thornhill, Cowbridge and Millbridge, and Wyn- 

 yard's Mill. 



Besides all these receivers and stewards who had to be paid, 

 there were certain laymen who had salaried offices connected with 

 the Monastery. Sir Henry Long of Dray cote, by some old custom, 

 was entitled to receive from the monks seven white loaves and seven 

 flagons of beer every week; of course, compounded for, in money. 

 He was hereditary bailiff of Charlton Wood. Sir Edward Baynton 



VOL. VIII. — no. XXII. d 



