Hist. [SMOKE sb. 2 b.] An offering made at Whitsuntide by the householders of a diocese to the cathedral church; also, a hearth-tax (see quot. 1765).
1444. [see LINCOLN 1].
1524. Churchw. Acc. St. Giles, Reading (ed. Nash), 22. To the Official for smoke farthyngs, iiijs jd.
1575. in North, St. Martin’s, Leicester, 144. For peterpence or smoke farthynges sometyme due to the Anthecriste of roome, xd.
1609. in W. Money, Hist. of Newbury (1887), 529. P[ai]d for Pentecostalles, otherwise called smoke farthings.
1710. J. Harris, Lex. Techn., II. Smoke-farthings, the Pentecostals, or Customary Oblations offered by the Inhabitants within any Diocess, when they made their Processione to the Mother or Cathedral Church.
1765. Blackstone, Comm., I. 323. As early as the conquest mention is made in domesday book of fumage or fuage, vulgarly called smoke farthings; which were paid by custom to the king for every chimney in the house.
1857. Toulmin Smith, Parish, 503. An ‘Ale’ held at the time of paying the ‘Smoke-farthing’ or Wax-silver.
1876. [see FUMAGE1].
