situation and allowances are such as, or worse than, I have described
them. To do this, no way seems to me to be so fair, so likely to be free
from error, so likely to produce a suitable impression on the minds of my
readers, and so likely to lead to some useful practical result; no way
seems to me so well calculated to answer these purposes, as that of taking
_the very village, in which, I, at this moment, happen to be_, and to
describe, with names and dates, the actual state of its labouring people,
as far as that state is connected with steps taken under the poor-laws.

65. This village was in former times a very considerable place, as is
manifest from the size of the church as well as from various other
circumstances. It is now, as a _church living_, united with an adjoining
parish, called VERNON DEAN, which also has its church, at a distance of
about three miles from the church of this parish. Both parishes put
together now contain only _eleven hundred_, and a few odd, inhabitants,
men, women, children, and all; and yet, the _great tithes_ are supposed to
be worth _two or three thousand pounds a year_, and the _small tithes_
about _six hundred pounds a year_. Formerly, before the event which is
called "THE REFORMATION," there were _two Roman Catholic priests_ living
at the parsonage houses in these two parishes. They could not marry, and
could, therefore have no wives and families to keep out of the tithes;
and, WITH PART OF THOSE TITHES, THEY, AS THE LAW PROVIDED, MAINTAINED THE
POOR OF THESE TWO PARISHES; and, the canons of the church commanded them
to distribute the portion to the poor and the stranger, "_with their own
hands_, in _humility_ and _mercy_."

66. This, as to church and poor, was the state of these villages, in the
"_dark ages_" of "_Romish superstition_." What! No poor-laws? No
poor-rates? What horribly _unenlightened_ times! No _select vestries_?
Dark ages indeed! But, how stands these matters now? Why, the two parishes
are moulded into _one church living_. Then the GREAT TITHES (amounting to
two or three thousand a year) belong to some part of the _Chapter_ (as
they call it) of Salisbury. The Chapter leases them out, as they would a
house or a farm, and they are now rented by JOHN KING, who is one of this
happy nation's greatest and oldest _pensioners_. So that, _away go_ the
great tithes, not leaving a single wheat-ear to be spent in the parish.
The SMALL TITHES belong to a VICAR, who is one FI