Payments of Romescot, c.1235
A list of the payments of Romescot, an annual contribution to the Roman see due from various southern English cathedrals.
Of the fifteen cathedrals listed, Rochester has the second lowest annual payment of just 112 shillings (£5 and 12 shillings). The highest is £21 and 10 shillings for Norwich. In comparison, the Archbishop of Canterbury, listed first, owed a modest £7 and 17 shillings.
Important historically. Romescot, better known as Peter’s Pence, was a ‘voluntary’ tax or levy against each household to the See of Rome. Practically, one presumes the householders paid their debt to their local church who in turn forwarded it to the cathedral churches, hence the cathedral’s are obliged to raise and pay the amounts listed in the Rochester custumal.
Romescot originated in eight-century Anglo-Saxon England (Old English scot means ‘payment’). In 1031 King Cnut wrote a letter to the clergy outlining the levy as one penny on each hearth or household with an annual rental of 30 pence or more. In the 13th century, probably due to widespread avoidance of the payment, the revenue arising from the tax was stabilised at an annual sum of £20 1s. 9d for the whole of England.
However, Pope Clement V (1305-1314) pressed to have the levy returned to the ancient basis of one penny per household – obviously more rewarding. The figures given in the Rochester custumal list suggest that these payments reflect the penny-per-household model.
27r (select folio number to open facsimile)
Romiscoth de Anglia;
Archiepiscopatus Canterberiensis: Vll· libras et XVII· solidos.
Eboracensis: XI· lib. et ·X· solidos.
Wintoniensis episcopatus: XVII· Libras.
Lincolniensis: XLII· Libras.
Northwicensis: XXI· libras et X· solidos.
Exoniensis: IX· libras et ·V· solidos.
Herfordensis: VI· libras.
Cestrensis: IX· lib. & ·V· solidos.
Roffensis: C· et ·XII· solidos.
Londoniensis: ·XVI· libras et ·X· solidos.
Salesberiensis: XVII libras.
Eliensis: C· solidos.
Cicestrensis: VIII· Libras.
Batoniensis: XI· libras et V· solidos.
Wigornensis: XI libras et V· solidos.
Dunolmensis pertinet ad Eboracensem Archiepiscopum.
Transcription
27r (select folio number to open facsimile)
Romiscoth de Anglia;
Archiepiscopatus Canterberiensis: Vll· libras et XVII· solidos.
Eboracensis: XI· lib. et ·X· solidos.
Wintoniensis episcopatus: XVII· Libras.
Lincolniensis: XLII· Libras.
Northwicensis: XXI· libras et X· solidos.
Exoniensis: IX· libras et ·V· solidos.
Herfordensis: VI· libras.
Cestrensis: IX· lib. & ·V· solidos.
Roffensis: C· et ·XII· solidos.
Londoniensis: ·XVI· libras et ·X· solidos.
Salesberiensis: XVII libras.
Eliensis: C· solidos.
Cicestrensis: VIII· Libras.
Batoniensis: XI· libras et V· solidos.
Wigornensis: XI libras et V· solidos.
Dunolmensis pertinet ad Eboracensem Archiepiscopum.
Translation
Romescot of England:
Archbishop of Canterbury 7 pounds and 17 shillings.
York 11 pounds and 10 shillings.
Bishopric of Winchester 17 pounds.
Lincoln 40 pounds.
Norwich £11 and 10 shillings.
Exeter £11 and 5 shillings.
Hereford 6 pounds.
Chester: 9 pounds and 5 shillings.
Rochester 112 shillings.
London: 16 pounds and 10 shillings.
Salisbury: 17 pounds.
Ely: 100 shillings.
Chichester: 8 pounds.
Bath: 11 pounds and 5 shillings.
Worcester: 11 pounds and 5 shillings.
Durham pertains to the Archbishop of York.