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Emperor Louis the Pious:
On Tithes, 817


In the reign of Louis the Pious, the tithe was to be drawn from the fruits of the earth and from livestock, and varied from one seventh to one thirty-second. Payment could be made in kind or in money, or in labor. The punishment for non-payment could be loss of benefice.

Concerning ninths and tenths. It has been decreed that they should be paid from the fruits of the earth and the offspring of animals. For building and restoring churches the count and the bishop or abbot together with our missus whom they choose for this, shall take care that each of them shall give for building and restoration in proportion to what he has of the goods of the Church. Likewise our vassals shall jointly or individually contribute in work, in proportion to what they hold from the churches. Or if it is convenient for them to give money for doing the work let them pay money according to the estimate of the work with which money the rector of the church may hire workmen and purchase material for the restoring of the church. And he who has neglected to give ninths and tenths shall make restitution according to law and pay our ban besides; let the culprit take care that he do not lose his benefice by repeating the offense.


Source:

J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae Cursus Completus, (Paris, 1862), Vol . XCVI, p. 411; reprinted in Roy C. Cave & Herbert H. Coulson, A Source Book for Medieval Economic History, (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1936; reprint ed., New York: Biblo & Tannen, 1965), pp. 379-380.

Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.


This text is part of the Internet Medieval Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.

Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.

© Paul Halsall, October 1998
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