Peter's Pence

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Peter's Pence or Rome-scot began in Saxon times as an annual tribute of 1 penny from each household to the papacy. After the Conquest, it became a total payment of about £200 p.a., collected by the bishops. Attempts to increase it were strongly resisted. Though the amount of revenue involved was insignificant, the claim of tribute was of symbolic importance. Monarchs could put pressure on the papacy by withholding payment and by Henry VIII's statute of 1533 (25 Hen. VIII c. 21) it was abolished altogether.

J. A. Cannon

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