TITHING (for tithe, tenth;

See also:

• LAT

Lat. decuma)  , formerly a unit of local administration in England . In some districts the men who were bound to be in frankpledge (q.v.) were grouped in associations of tell, twelve or more individuals called tithings . When a person who was accused of any crime was not forthcoming, inquiry was made whether he was in frankpledge; if he were not, and had no right of exemption, the township was amerced, but if he were in a tithing, then it was upon the tithing that the amercement fell . South of the Thames the tithings were districts normally identical with the township which discharged the duties of the frankpledge . Some townships, however, contained more than one tithing . There are also indications that in the ancient kingdom of Mercia the tithing was originally a district and not a mere association of persons; but in Northumbria it is doubtful whether the system of frankpledge and tithing, either personal or territorial, was ever established . If, as seems likely, the territorial tithing is older than the personal, each territorial hundred (q.v.) was probably divided into ten tithings .