Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The officer in a monastery who distributed the pittance at certain appointed festivals.
Etymologies
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Examples
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The pittancer was the official whose business it was to serve out their pittances to each of the monks.
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In 1166 Samson was a fully-professed monk, and on his election as abbot on Hugh's death in 1182 he had filled a number of offices — those of sub-sacrist, guestmaster, pittancer, third prior, master of novices, and master of the workmen.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 13: Revelation-Stock 1840-1916 1913
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Virgin; and the pittancer is to put spice in the said relish, and the cellarer is to provide wine and honey, and during infirmary time those who are being bled are to receive no pittance from the pittancer.
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He is also to give all the monks during Advent nine pounds of wax extra allowance, and it is not proper that the pittancer should weigh out cheese for any one on a Friday unless it be a principal processional or duplex feast, or a principal octave.
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Further, the pittancer is to provide for three mandes in each week during the whole year, excepting Lent, and for each mande he is to find three pounds of cheese.
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September until Lent the pittancer must serve out to each monk three quarters of a pound of cheese, if it is a feast of twelve lessons, and if it is a feast of three lessons, whether a week-day or a vigil, the pittancer is to give each monk but half a pound of cheese.
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Item, the pittancer is to serve out mashed beans to the servants of the convent during Lent as well as to those who are in religion, and at this season he is to provide the prior of the cloister and the hebdomadary with bruised cicerate; 58 but if any one of the same is hebdomadary, he is only to receive one portion.
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Baptist the pittancer is to serve out old cheese, and new cheese from the octave of St. John the Baptist to the feast of St. Michael.
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