Item 6 - Letter from Alfred Ainger to W. Aldis Wright

1 folded sheet

2 Upper Terrace, Hampstead.—Consults him on the Templars’ use of the term ‘panetarius’ and the exemption of their estates from tithes, in connection with the publication of sermons preached on the 700th anniversary of the Temple Church.

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Transcript

2 Upper Terrace, Hampstead
Friday night. March 6th 1885

My dear Wright.

I want you to give me five minutes of your valuable time. Will you turn to any Dictionary or Glossary of mediaeval Latin & tell me whether the term “Panetarius” for the official who waits at table (the “Bread-man”, of course) was ever common; or whether it was at all peculiar to the Knights Templars, from whom the English term “Panier” has survived in the Halls of the Inner & Middle Temple. Is “Panier” in use any where else, have you ever heard?

You told me the other evening the curious fact about the estates that once belonged to the Templars being still exempt from tithes. Is this common to all such estates, or only to the one near Hitchin of which you spoke? Did not all other Religious Houses enjoy this privilege (of exemption from tithe) & does the privilege extend to any of their descendants in the possession of their estates.

I ask these questions, because the Archbishop, Vaughan, & I—(“when shall we three meet again” (Twelfth Night) “Did you ever see the picture of we three?”)—are going to publish our sermons of last week preached on the 700th Anniversary of the Temple Church—& I want to be careful about some little details in w. I indulged. I am so happy to think I am going to meet you at Knapdale next week.

Yours ever
Alfred Ainger.

This description was created by A. C. Green in 2022.