Teind facts for kids
A teind (which is a Scots word for "tithe") was like a payment made in Scotland. It meant a "tenth part" of something.
Long ago, a teind was often a tenth of the crops or animals produced on the land. This payment helped support the church leaders, called the clergy.
But teind also has a magical meaning in old Scottish stories! It was said to be a special payment that fairies had to give to the devil every seven years. You can find this idea in famous Scottish tales like the story of Tam Lin and the ballad of Thomas the Rhymer.
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Teinds and the Scottish Reformation
For a long time, teinds were used to pay for the living costs of church leaders. But things changed a lot during the Scottish Reformation. This was a big time in Scotland when the church became Protestant.
On February 15, 1562, an important group called the Privy Council of Scotland made a new rule. They decided that a third (one-third) of all the teinds would be collected. This money would then be used to pay the new Protestant ministers. It also helped cover the costs of the royal family.
To figure out how much money the church had, a survey was done. This survey looked at all the income and wealth the church received. The results were written down in special books called the "Books of Assumption." These books show how rich the church was during the Reformation. They also list many ordinary people who now owned land that used to belong to the church. The detailed records even show all the different things produced on the land, like farm crops, fish, coal, and lime.
Collecting the Thirds
On March 1, 1562, a man named John Wishart of Pitarrow was given an important job. He became the main person in charge of collecting these teinds. A special office, called the "Collectory," was set up to manage these "Thirds of Benefices."
In his role, John Wishart was responsible for paying the new Protestant ministers. However, many ministers were not happy because their payments were very small. The famous Scottish reformer John Knox even said that people joked, "The good laird of Pittarro was ane earnest professour of Christ; but the mekle Devill receave the comptrollar." This meant they thought Wishart was a good Christian, but they wished the person in charge of the money (the comptroller) would go away because the payments were so low!
Wishart even appointed a relative, George Wishart of Drymme, to help collect money from certain areas. George Wishart's records show payments made by Mary, Queen of Scots, to John Knox and his servants. They also show payments to David Rizzio, who was Queen Mary's private secretary.
Royal Household Expenses
Records from the "Collectory" between 1561 and 1572 show how the money was used. A lot of the money or goods collected went towards the expenses of the royal family and their guards.
In 1563, John Knox complained again. He said that the royal guards and the costs of the royal kitchen were so high that the ministers could not be paid properly. The records show that wine, beef, mutton, and cheese were bought for the royal household. Coal from Wallyford was even sent to Holyroodhouse Palace for Mary, Queen of Scots. Some coal was also shipped to Aberdeen when she visited there.
Some of the records also mention events related to the Chaseabout Raid in 1565. This was a time of conflict for Queen Mary. John Wishart, who supported Queen Mary's half-brother, was replaced as collector. After him, William Murray of Tullibardine took over, and then later, Adam Erskine of Cambuskenneth Abbey.
See also
- Court of Teinds
- Queen of the Fairies
- Elphame
