282 History of the English Landed Interest. 



to contribute weekly alms to tlie poor funds, but hand any 

 obstinate fellow over to the civil authorities, who had it in 

 their discretion to sess, tax, and limit him, and on further 

 refusal commit him to gaol. The next step is in the provision 

 of documentary evidence,^ not only concerning the number of 

 the pauper population in each parish, but the taxation and 

 names of those compelled to pay the weekly tribute. It is in- 

 teresting to note even thus late the survival of the old system 

 of barter. There were many persons deemed sufficiently well 

 off to contribute in kind, but to whom a money payment would 

 have been a hardship ; and since the collection of so many 

 predial contributions would have caused considerable trouble 

 and expense, certain of the poor were formally licensed to 

 receive those offerings. It was strange that what had thus 

 early struck the authorities as cumbrous and irksome should 

 have survived in the case of tithe offerings up to the present 

 century.- But then it must be remembered that no commu- 

 tation was possible without legislation, and the clergy were 

 never more afraid of attracting public attention to the tithe 

 system than just after the spoliation of their monastic brethren. 

 Then, too, the farmer, who was saved immense expense over 

 carting, marketing, and selling the parson's share of his crops, 

 much preferred the speedy quittance of this debt, which he 

 annually obtained as soon as the tithe barn doors had closed 

 on the last load of parson's sheaves. 



In this same Act provision was made for an appeal from the 

 assessment committee to the general county sessions ; and 

 lastly, the first germ of the workhouse system came into 

 existence, when, by the agency of forced labour, rogues and 

 vagabonds paid for their own keep during the few hours that 

 they were allowed to remain in one parish. 



Houses of correction^ maintainable by the public, contri- 



' 14 Eliz. c. 5. 



^ Up to 1833 the old system of course prevailed. The corn was cut, 

 bound up in sheaves, and set up in hattocks consistinii: of eight sheaves. 

 When readj' for carrj-ing, the farmer then sent word to the parson or his 

 proctor, who set out the tithe. The farmer tlien removed his share of 

 the crop. 



3 18 Eliz. c. 3. 



