Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/397

 The Medieval Church at its Height 361 sacks they may be carried out to Neptune, or planted in the earth may fructify for Pluto, or may be offered amid the flames as a fattened holocaust to Vulcan, or at least may be hung up as a victim to Juno; while our foster child, at a single reading of the book of life, is handed over to the cus- tody of the bishop, rigor is changed to favor, and the forum being transferred from the laity, death is routed by the clerk who is the nursling of books. V. How THE CHURCHES AND MONASTERIES WERE SUPPORTED The following statement indicates how numerous and complicated were the sources of revenue which even a parish church might claim as its rightful means of support. I, Hugh, dean of Gye, hereby inform the present genera- 141. The tion, and those to come, that, according as I have heard and revenue f learned from my predecessors of blessed memory and have C hurch myself seen in my time, the church of St. Mary of Chatillon (1237). in my parish of Gye possesses the following revenue : namely, one sixth of the tithe of grain and wine and one half of the offerings, bequests and alms, provided they are paid in money, and one half of the small tithe. 1 From Neuilly, one eighteenth of the tithe of grain, one sixth of the tithe of wine, and one half of the small tithes, offerings, and leg- acies. From C, on behalf of the allodial lands, two parts of the tithe of grain, one sixth of the tithe of wine, one half of the legacies and offerings, and the whole of the small tithe, except twelve pence, which the parish priest by virtue of his office has been wont to receive as fish money. From the monastery of C, two parts of the tithe of grain and wine and of the small tithes, one third of the offerings at Christmas, Pentecost, and All Saints. Of the other offer- ings, however, made there during the year the church of 1 That is, the tithe of other than the staple crops, for example, of pigs, lambs, flax, etc.