ˈsmoke-farthing Hist.
[smoke n. 2 b.]
An offering made at Whitsuntide by the householders of a diocese to the cathedral church; also, a hearth-tax (see quot. 1765).
| 1444 [see Lincoln1 1]. 1524 Churchw. Acc. St. Giles, Reading (ed. Nash) 22 To the Official for smoke farthyngs, iiijs j{supd}. 1575 in North St. Martin's, Leicester 144 For peterpence or smoke farthynges sometyme due to the Anthecriste of roome, xd. 1609 in W. Money Hist. of Newbury (1887) 529 P[ai]d for Pentecostalles, otherwise called smoke farthings. 1710 J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Smoke-farthings, the Pentecostals, or Customary Oblations offered by the Inhabitants within any Diocess, when they made their Processione to the Mother or Cathedral Church. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 323 As early as the conquest mention is made in domesday book of fumage or fuage, vulgarly called smoke farthings; which were paid by custom to the king for every chimney in the house. 1857 Toulmin Smith Parish 503 An ‘Ale’ held at the time of paying the ‘Smoke-farthing’ or Wax-silver. 1876 [see fumage1]. |