ose of browzing the cattle at the approach of
winter. The branches are lopped off and strewn upon the pastures; and
when the cattle have stripped them of the leaves, they are used for
repairing the hedges or for fuel.

We have thus seen a numerous body of Dalesmen creeping into possession
of their home-steads, their little crofts, their mountain-enclosures;
and, finally, the whole vale is visibly divided; except, perhaps, here
and there some marshy ground, which, till fully drained, would not
repay the trouble of enclosing. But these last partitions do not seem to
have been general, till long after the pacification of the Borders, by
the union of the two crowns: when the cause, which had first determined
the distribution of land into such small parcels, had not only
ceased,--but likewise a general improvement had taken place in the
country, with a correspondent rise in the value of its produce. From the
time of the union, it is certain that this species of feudal population
must rapidly have diminished. That it was formerly much more numerous
than it is at present, is evident from the multitude of tenements (I do
not mean houses, but small divisions of land) which belonged formerly
each to a several proprietor, and for which separate fines are paid to
the manorial lord at this day. These are often in the proportion of four
to one of the present occupants. 'Sir Launcelot Threlkeld, who lived in
the reign of Henry VII., was wont to say, he had three noble houses, one
for pleasure, Crosby, in Westmoreland, where he had a park full of deer;
one for profit and warmth, wherein to reside in winter, namely, Yanwith,
nigh Penrith; and the third, Threlkeld, (on the edge of the vale of
Keswick,) well stocked with tenants to go with him to the wars.' But, as
I have said, from the union of the two crowns, this numerous vassalage
(their services not being wanted) would rapidly diminish; various
tenements would be united in one possessor; and the aboriginal houses,
probably little better than hovels, like the kraels of savages, or the
huts of the Highlanders of Scotland, would fall into decay, and the
places of many be supplied by substantial and comfortable buildings, a
majority of which remain to this day scattered over the vallies, and are
often the only dwellings found in them.

From the time of the erection of these houses, till within the last
sixty years, the state of society, though no doubt slowly and gradually
improving, un