Legal Definitions - mixed tithes

Mixed tithes refer to a historical form of payment, typically one-tenth, made to support a religious institution, such as a church or clergy. Unlike "predial tithes," which were levied on crops directly harvested from the soil (like grain or vegetables), mixed tithes were collected from the *increase* of animals or from natural produce that did not directly grow from cultivation.

This category included items such as:

• Young livestock (e.g., lambs, calves, piglets)
• Animal products (e.g., wool, milk, eggs, honey)
• Other natural produce not directly sown (e.g., hay, wood)

Essentially, mixed tithes captured the value generated from animal husbandry and certain natural resources, distinguishing them from both agricultural crops and personal income from labor or trade.

Here are some examples to illustrate the concept of mixed tithes:

• Example 1: Livestock Increase

  Imagine a shepherd in a medieval village who owned a flock of 100 sheep. If his flock produced 30 new lambs in a year, he would historically be obligated to give three of those lambs (one-tenth) to the local church as a mixed tithe. This payment was based on the *increase* in his animal stock, directly reflecting the productivity of his herd.

• Example 2: Animal Produce

  Consider a farmer who kept several dairy cows. The milk produced by his cows would fall under the category of mixed tithes. While it might have been impractical to deliver one-tenth of the fresh milk daily, the tithe could be paid in a more durable form, such as a portion of the cheese or butter made from the milk, or its equivalent value in money. This demonstrates a tithe levied on the *products* derived from animals.

• Example 3: Natural Resources Not Directly Cultivated

  A landowner with a large meadow might harvest hay to feed his animals or sell. The hay, though a natural crop, was not sown and cultivated in the same manner as grain. Therefore, a portion of the hay collected from the meadow would be considered a mixed tithe. Similarly, if the landowner harvested timber from a wooded area, a tenth of that wood could also be due as a mixed tithe, as it represents a natural resource not directly grown through annual cultivation.