Legal Definitions - decimae vicariae

Decimae vicariae refers to a historical type of payment, known as vicarage tithes, within the ecclesiastical legal system. These were specific portions of produce, goods, or sometimes small sums of money that parishioners were obligated to provide to their local vicar. The payments were typically determined by long-standing local custom or the vicar's needs and were distinct from the larger tithes paid to the main church or rector. A key characteristic of decimae vicariae was that the vicar's right to collect these tithes was considered perpetual and could not be lost simply because it hadn't been enforced for a long period.

• Example 1: The Annual Grain Harvest

  In a medieval English village heavily reliant on agriculture, the local vicar, responsible for the spiritual well-being of the community, would historically be entitled to a portion of the annual grain harvest from the parishioners' fields. This might involve collecting one-tenth of the wheat or barley grown by each farming household.

  This illustrates decimae vicariae because it represents a payment made in kind (grain) directly to the vicar, based on established custom, to support his livelihood and the provision of spiritual services within the parish. It's a specific, customary tithe intended for the vicar.

• Example 2: The Fisherman's Catch

  Consider a historical coastal village where fishing was the primary industry. According to long-standing local tradition, the vicar of the parish might have a customary right to receive a small share of the daily or weekly fish catch from the local fishermen, perhaps a few fish or a portion of the value of their sales.

  This demonstrates decimae vicariae as a customary payment that, while not agricultural, was derived from the local economy and provided to the vicar. It highlights how these tithes adapted to the specific livelihoods of the parishioners in different regions.

• Example 3: The Miller's Toll

  In a village that relied on a communal mill for processing grain, the vicar might have a customary right to receive a small portion of the flour or meal processed by the local miller, or a small customary fee from the miller's earnings. This right would have been established centuries ago and passed down through generations.

  This example shows decimae vicariae as a customary payment that supports the vicar, illustrating that these tithes could come from various economic activities within the parish, not solely from direct farming. It also implicitly touches on the perpetual nature of the right, as such a custom would persist over generations.