s. But to proceed.

[4] The old and proper form of the modern pumpkin.--W.

It is so that, our soil being divided into champaign ground and
woodland, the houses of the first lie uniformly builded in every town
together, with streets and lanes; whereas in the woodland countries
(except here and there in great market towns) they stand scattered
abroad, each one dwelling in the midst of his own occupying. And as in
many and most great market towns, there are commonly three hundred or
four hundred families or mansions, and two thousand communicants (or
peradventure more), so in the other, whether they be woodland or
champaign, we find not often above forty, fifty, or three score
households, and two or three hundred communicants, whereof the
greatest part nevertheless are very poor folks, oftentimes without all
manner of occupying, sith the ground of the parish is gotten up into a
few men's hands, yea sometimes into the tenure of one or two or three,
whereby the rest are compelled either to be hired servants unto the
other or else to beg their bread in misery from door to door.

There are some (saith Leland) which are not so favourable, when they
have gotten such lands, as to let the houses remain upon them to the
use of the poor; but they will compound with the lord of the soil to
pull them down for altogether, saying that "if they did let them
stand, they should but toll beggars to the town, thereby to surcharge
the rest of the parish, and lay more burden upon them." But alas!
these pitiful men see not that they themselves hereby do lay the
greatest log upon their neighbours' necks. For, sith the prince doth
commonly loose nothing of his duties accustomable to be paid, the rest
of the parishioners that remain must answer and bear them out: for
they plead more charge other ways, saying: "I am charged already with
a light horse; I am to answer in this sort, and after that matter."
And it is not yet altogether out of knowledge that, where the king had
seven pounds thirteen shillings at a task gathered of fifty wealthy
householders of a parish in England, now, a gentleman having three
parts of the town in his own hands, four households do bear all the
aforesaid payment, or else Leland is deceived in his _Commentaries_,
lib. 13, lately come to my hands, which thing he especially noted in
his travel over this isle. A common plague and enormity, both in the
heart of the land and likewise upon the coasts. Certes a great nu