peter's pence is payment made voluntarily to the roman catholic church. it began under the saxons in england and is seen in other countries. though formally discontinued in england at the time of the reformation, a post-reformation payment of uncertain characteristics is seen in some english manors into the 19th century. in 1871, pope pius ix formalized the practice of lay members of the church â and "other persons of good will" â providing financial support to the roman see. == the ancient payment (1031â1555)== the term peter's pence, in its latin form, first appeared in 1031, and the payment may not have had a single origin under the saxons. whether seen as a pious contribution, or merely a levy, it evidently underwent various changes both before and after the norman conquest. it was applied by the normans to ireland as a 'penny per hearth' annual tax in the later part of the twelfth century under the papal bull laudabiliter. the traditional scholarly view is summarized in jacob's law dictionaryquoting from 1762 edition peter-pence (denarii sancti petri) otherwise called in the saxon romefeoh (the fee due to rome), it was a tribute or rather an alms given by ina, king of the west saxons, in his pilgrimage to rome in 725. the like was also collected by offa, king of the mercians, throughout his dominions, in 794. however, it was said to be not a tribute to the pope, but for the sustenation  of the english school or college at rome. it was called peter-pence because a penny from every house was collected on 1 august, the feast day of st. peter ad vincula. king edgarâs laws contain a sharp constitutionsic, meaning as yet unclear touching this money (leg. edg 78 c 4). some sources give the anglo-saxon term romescot instead of romefeoh. the offa story is elaborated in later accounts of unknown reliability: ethelbert, king of the east angles, having reigned single some time, thought fit to take a wife; for this purpose he came to the court of offa, king of mercia, to desire his daughter in marriage. cynethryth, consort of offa, a cruel, ambitious, and blood-thirsty woman, who envied the retinue and splendor of the unsuspicious king, resolved in some manner to have him murdered, before he left their court, hoping by that to gain his immense riches; for this purpose she, with her malicious and fascinating arts, overcame the kingâher husband, which she most cunningly effected, and, under deep disguises, laid open to him her portentous design; a villain was therefore hired, named gimberd, who was to murder the innocent prince. the manner in which the h
Economic_history_of_the_Holy_See Giving Medieval_economics Pope_Pius_IX Taxation