or suffer his or her pigs to go at large through the said streets, and be convicted thereof, as aforesaid, by the testimony of one witness, the owner or owners shall be amerced in the sum of one shilling and twopence for each and every such pig so let to go at large through the said streets, as aforesaid, with costs, which amercements shall be levied as herein before directed, and applied towards the improvement of the market-place of such town wherein the same shall be levied, as aforesaid *.

Sumner.

WHEREAS the sumner, parson, and clerk, take pains in gathering tithe wool and lambs, having with them a horse a piece and a sack, then each of them to have one choice lamb, and one fleece of wool, paid out of the tithe; and as touching the sumner's duty of corn, he must have a band of three lengths, of three principal corns, portion like, paid from every husbandman; and he must call within the church, with the advice of the vicar or curate, all such things as he is requested of the parish, that are gone or lost; and also, stand at the chancel door, in time of service, to beat the dogs out.

Also, when the sumner is required by the ordinary to bring any offender to prison, he hath for his pains fourpence, and likewise the porter fourpence of the same offender; and when any is disobedient to the sumner and ordinary, then the ordinary hath been used to send to the constable of Peel, who presently ought to send a soldier to take him to the bishop's prison t.

Sumner-General.

WHEN the ordinary sends a citation abroad for the

*A. T. 1776.

+ Spir. Cust. Laws.

keeping courts, chapters, or other weighty matters, the ordinary to send to the general sumner, and he to send them with speed abroad *.

Sunday.

If any person pay or receive money on a Sunday, he shall be liable to ecclesiastical censures, and always be presented for the same †.

1

Tithes.

By an ordinance of Charles, Earl of Derby, lord of the isle, in the year 1667, "all persons within his isle of Man, who should thereafter clear and improve waste lands, shall be tithe free for the first three years: And by the 28th customary law, lands newly broken up, that never before were under corn, shall be exempted from the payment of tithes for the term of three years."

By the following spiritual customary laws it is ordained, that “ tithe corn shall be received by the tenth stook, and for carrying it away, the parson or proctor is at liberty to carry it the next way, keeping the husbandman harmless, making the ditch as able as he found it.

No husbandman to lead any corn or hay before sufficient warning be given to the parson, vicar, or proctor, when the corn and hay are sufficiently dry, and fit to be stacked.

And if any man convey, purloin, or hide any corn in houses or elsewhere, to defraud the tithes, then the par

*Spir. Cust. Laws.

+ A. T. 1703.

son, vicar, or proctor, to be restored threefold. But in case he want to thresh any corn for necessity, then to take with him two honest men, who will testify the tithe thereof to be truly paid.

And if any do lead or stack their corn in contumacy, or not agreeing with the parson, vicar, or proctor, for the tithe thereof, then the sumner, at the appointment of the ordinary, with two honest men or more, to cast down the stacks, and take forth their tithes; and the husbandman to make good the charges, for casting down the stacks, and making them up again, and further to be punished at the discretion of the ordinary. All tithe flax and hemp to be brought to the parish church, and the seed thereof.

Every one to bring unto their folds, all their sheep and lambs at such time as the parson, vicar or proctor, shall appoint, either in the latter end of May, or else in June; to pay truly their tithe lamb and wool, that is to say, out of eight, one lamb, and so out of nine, ten or twelve, but one lamb; provided if the husbandman pay one lamb or more, he shall have the choice of two lambs, and then the proctor where he pleaseth of the

rest.

If the husbandman hath but five lambs, then he shall choose one lamb, and the next to the best the proctor shall appraise, and the husbandman shall give or take, and if there be but two or three lambs, then to pay a halfpenny each and any that hath wild sheep or lambs, that cannot be brought into the fold, then the proctor hath been used to depose them upon a book, what wool and lambs they may have, and so to pay truly the tithe thereof.

And whoever doth convey or hide his lambs, from place to place, or from parish to parish, to deceive the church, then restitution to be made threefold.

That all proctors ought, at Martinmas, to put in a book all small tithes within the parishes, that is to say, purs, calves, and colts, and to receive them from the

husbandman at Easter; and out of eight, nine, or ten, one pur; and out of twelve, but one pur; and in like manner of calves and colts; provided always, that the husbandman shall choose one or two out of the whole of the best, when he payeth one or more purs, calves, or colts.

Also, when any man hath but five purs, calves, or colts, then the husbandman shall have one choice, and then the proctor to praise the next, and the husbandman to take or give: And if the husbandman hath but three calves, he shall pay out of every one a halfpenny, and out of three colts threepence.

Whereas the proctor hath not had of six or seven lambs but half a lamb, then he may take out of the four lambs, a half; in like manner of purs, calves, and colts.

Concerning tithe geese, they are to be taken after the same order, and most commonly taken in the month of December; and as for tithe eggs, they are to be taken at Easter, and are the beginning of the annual fruits next ensuing; for every hen one egg, and for the only cock two eggs.

Also, concerning honey and tithe wax, if there be eight, nine, or ten hives, of that year, then the husbandman shall have two choices, or out of twelve, and the proctor shall have the third choice hive for tithe; and if in case there be but five hives, the husbandman shall have one choice, and the proctor to appraise the next, and the husbandman to give or take; but when there is but two or three hives, then after the honey and wax are purified, they shall take the tithe thereof, just

and truly; whereas the proctor hath not had out of six or seven hives, but half a hive, then he may take out of four hives, half a hive: And whereas parsons and proctors having tithes that are far off, and cannot conveniently bring them home, it hath been accustomed to draw and stack the same in the husbandman's hagyard, without trouble or let.

No tithe butter, or cheese shall be paid hereafter; but in lieu thereof, the farmers and others who ought to pay such, shall, at Easter, when they account for their other duties to the church, pay fourpence for every cow which had a calf that year, and twopence for every farrow cow which had no calf, but gave milk since the Easter before; and a penny out of every four milch sheep; and a penny out of every two milch goats. And the vicars of third and pension, who used to have a choice cheese, to have, in lieu thereof, the monies due for the tithe cheese and butter, of a choice house in the parish.

The parson, vicar, and proctor of every parish, shall acquaint the several farmers of the parishes with the names of their under proctors, or deputies, who are to receive the tithes. And this to be done in the month of July, before the harvest begins; and when the time of harvest is come, the farmer is to send notice to him or them, who are to receive the tithe corn, the evening or day before such farmer intends to lead his corn; and then if the parson, vicar, or proctor, or the under proctor, come not to take the tithe corn according to the warning so given, the farmer is to take two neighbours to justify with him, that he hath left his due tithe : such warning to be given at the parsonage, vicarage, or proctor's house, who is to receive the tithes, if there be any such in the parish. And if it be a stranger of another parish, or a layman of the same parish, such stranger or layman shall, before the time of harvest, acquaint the farmer at what house in the same parish the farmer shall give or leave such notice, that his corn is ready for leading, or that he intends to lead the same; and the like order to be observed for tithe hay.

The minister, or proctor, to whom the small tithes and offering money belong, shall sit in the parish church, on Monday and Tuesday in Easter week, after the people have received the commnnion, there to receive