80 Tyranny and Rapacity of Tithe Proctors. 



covered we had little chance for sleep. The 

 Proctor and his party were in a large room 

 beneath those in which were our beds. As the 

 liquor began to elevate the spirits of the tenantry, 

 their obsequiousness appeared to subside. An 

 overbearing conduct, exceeding all bounds, on 

 the part of the Proctor, was too loudly pro- 

 claimed to be mistaken, or pass without our 

 disgust and anger at being thus interrupted, and 

 compelled to be unwilling auditors of their 

 noisy vociferations. 



I had often heard of the tyranny of tithe 

 proctors, but had never before had any demon- 

 stration of it. The protracted silence of the 

 Proctor on the immediate object of the meet- 

 ing had seemed at length to exhaust the 

 patience of the company. One of them civilly 

 inquired on what terms he and his neighbours 

 might expect to have their tithes ? After great 

 hesitation, at last, the Proctor, on naming his 

 price, was informed that the demands were 

 greater than would be required by the neigh- 

 bouring gentlemen. This observation wounded 

 his pride ; and on his observing that such per- 

 sons were only nominally proprietors, and that 

 the proctors were the real holders of the land, 

 his opponent made a reply, which so enraged 

 him, that he changed his ground from the 

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