Legal Definitions - wax scot

Wax scot was a historical tax or duty specifically imposed to fund the purchase of wax candles used in churches. This contribution was typically collected twice a year, often from parishioners or landowners, to ensure a steady supply of lighting for religious services and ceremonies.

• Imagine a small farming village in 15th-century England. Every spring and autumn, the head of each household, like Master Thomas, a local miller, would be expected to pay his share of the wax scot to the parish church. This payment directly contributed to the cost of the candles that illuminated the church during Sunday mass, baptisms, and other important religious events, ensuring the community's spiritual life could continue without interruption.

• Consider the financial records of a large cathedral in medieval France. The cathedral's treasurer would maintain detailed ledgers, meticulously noting the income received from various sources. Among these entries, you would find regular collections of wax scot, perhaps itemized by the different estates or guilds that contributed. These records would demonstrate how this specific duty was a predictable and essential part of the church's budget for maintaining its sacred spaces.

• Picture a wealthy nobleman in 13th-century Germany who held significant land and influence. While his tenants might have paid their individual wax scot, the nobleman himself, as a patron of the local abbey, might have made a substantial annual contribution of wax scot to ensure the abbey's grand services were always well-lit. This illustrates how the duty could be paid at different scales, from individual parishioners to powerful benefactors, all contributing to the same purpose of funding church candles.