Series 2 > Rentale Dunkeldense

XX
RENTALE DUNKELDENSE
obtained from the bishop, in whose book a receipt
was written, and similarly from the serjeants, officers,
and granitars. With these sums the steward had to
meet household expenses, ‘ ordinary ’ and ‘ extraordinary,*
where the bishop happened to be residing or when
he travelled. He had to attend to the provision of marts
for the larder, and to arrange for the consignments of
dried fish. His dealings were entirely in money. The
granitars supplied the requisite victual: the serjeants at
Dunkeld and Tybbirmuir furnished directly to the kitchen
such of the dues in poultry and salmon as were needed :
payments of live stock from such lands as Auchtertool
and Aberlady were more conveniently commuted for cash,
which the officers there handed over to the bishop or one
of his subordinates at Dunkeld. Besides the household
expenses, which were entered in detail in the libri dietarum
or ‘ diet-books,’ a few miscellaneous disbursements had
to be made, including hides to fishermen for their curroks,
payments to the butchers, purchase of soap for the laun¬
dress, and the like.
The granitar of Dunkeld collected the teinds of the
mensal churches in his district, and supplied the quantity
of meal and bear required for household consumption at
Dunkeld and Clony. In addition a large number of
allowances had to be made to servants, retainers, and
workmen. There were also poor folk on the books, who
received each a peck of meal in the week. When he had
discharged these obligations and the numerous incidental
payments of victual, the granitar seems to have sold his
balance, or the greater part of it. A portion of the money
was paid direct to the bishop, and a sum to the steward
for his current expenses. The accountant then had to
settle with servants and retainers for such portion of their
fees as were paid in cash, and to deal with a large number
of miscellaneous debts.