TITHES. 197 



of any other person which happens to be on 

 the spot at the time. I have heard an amusing 

 story of a certain squire, who sent a bailiff to 

 distrain for rent : the bailiff, looking over the 

 fields, espied a remarkably fine parcel of black 

 cattle, which he seized upon and sold without 

 inquiry. It happened, however, that these 

 were the landlord's own beasts, which had 

 accidentally strayed in ! 



The clergyman comes next ; his claims are 

 called tithes, or tenths. The case is this : the 

 Church of England being by law established, 

 it became necessary to appoint and support its 

 ministers. Custom and law have, for many 

 ages, given a tenth part of the produce of the 

 'laid to the clergy, for the performance of 

 rheir duties. This portion they may take 

 either in kind, that is, the tenth sheaf of corn, 



