He is also to give four pittances or suppers to the convent during infirmary time, and six pints of wine according to the custom.
The pittancer was the official whose business it was to serve out their pittances to each of the monks.
Pittances were additional meals on special occasions by way of varying the dreary round of dry bread and sour wine, which alone could be provided in the Refectory.
One fine afternoon my scholars requested leave to visit a certain garden some distance from the town, which I granted; and they clubbed their pittances to purchase sweetmeats and fruits.
She also had to provide pork from her own kitchin for two anniversary pittances (of which more anon) and she notes that every hog yields 20 messes.
What blessings on the black-faced sheep, when the sorely-needed silver is locked up in the treasury chest and debts begin to look less terrible, leaking roofs less incurable, pittances less few and far between.
You have your monks and lay brothers; love them, give them heavy alms and share your pittances with them: you are welcome to them for our part.
These pittances were, however, sometimes paid in money and most account rolls will provide examples of both.
A chartulary of the great Abbey of Lacock, drawn up at the close of the thirteenth century, contains an interesting list of alms payable to the poor and pittances to the nuns themselves on certain feasts and anniversaries.
The above list will hopefully give you a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "pittances" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this word.
