An ancient levy or tax of a penny on each house throughout Eng- land, paid to the pope. It was called “Peter- pence,” because collected on the day of St. Peter, ad vinculo; by the Saxons it was called “Rome-feoh,” “Itome-scot,” and “Rome- pennying,” because collected and seut to Rome; and, lastly, it was called ” hearth money ,” because every dwelling-house was liable to it, and every religious house, the abbey of St Albans alone excepted. Wharton.
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