Meaning of Senage (Vol. iv., p. 6.).
—Have the kindness to inform W.H., that in my extracts from the Parish Account Book of St. Peter's Mancroft in this city, under the years 1582 and 1588, are entered as follows:—
"1582. Pd to the Bisshopp for Senage Money ... xxjd.
1588. Pd for Senage and Proxage to the Bisshopp, ixd."
In Cowel's Law Dictionary, by Thomas Manley, folio, 1701, under the term "Senege," he says:
"There goes out yearly in Proxage and Senage 33s. 6d. Perhaps senege may be money paid for Synodals, as Proxyes or Procurations." "Proxyes are yearly payments made by parish priests to their bishop, or archdeacon, in lieu of victuals for the visitor and his attendants" (which it was formerly the custom to provide).
"Senage. The Senes be only courts to gather Senage and Proxye. The bishop should hold a Synod or Sene twice a year."—Becon's Reliques of Rome, p. 213.
"The priests should come to the Sene as they were wont to do."
The senes, courts, or ecclesiastical councils, were held for the purpose of correcting any neglect or omissions of the Church Reeves (as they were called), and fining them for such omissions, as well as receiving the usual and accustomed payments; and sometimes they were fined for having secreted some Catholic reliques, which were discovered by the visitors (of course after the Reformation), as I have found entries of fines having been paid; and more frequently are entries of "Payd for the withdraft" of the charge for some neglect in not providing articles necessary for the performance of divine worship.
In Sir Thomas More's Works, folio, 1557, pp. 909., 991., "Senes or Indightments" (perhaps Citements or Citations) are mentioned.