Combe are.  So likewise in his remembrance, was all between Kington St. Michael and Dracot-Cerne common fields.  Then were a world of labouring people maintained by the plough, as yet in Northamptonshire, &c.  There were no rates for the poor in my grandfather’s days; but for Kington St. Michael (no small parish) the church-ale at Whitsuntide did the business.  In every parish is (or was) a church-house, to which belonged spits, crocks, &c., utensils for dressing provision.  Here the house-keepers met, and were merry, and gave their charity.  The young people were there too, and had dancing, bowling, shooting at butts, &c., the ancients sitting gravely by and looking on.  All things were civil and without scandal.  This church-ale is doubtless derived from the {Greek text:  agapai}, or love-feast, mentioned in the New Testament.  Mr. A. Wood assures me, that there were no alms-houses, at least they were very scarce before the Reformation; that over against Christ Church, Oxon, is one of the ancientest.  In every church was a poor man’s box, but I never remembered the use of it; nay, there was one at great inns, as I remember it was before the wars.  Before the Reformation, at their vigils or revels, sat up all night fasting and praying.  The night before the day of the dedication of the church, certain officers were chosen for gathering the money for charitable uses.  Old John Wastfield, of Langley, was Peter-man at St. Peter’s Chapel there; at which time is one of the greatest revels in these parts, but the chapel is converted into a dwelling-house.  Such joy and merriment was every holiday, which days were kept with great solemnity and reverence.  These were the days when England was famous for the " grey goose quills.”  The clerk’s was in the Easter holidays for his benefit, and the solace of the neighbourhood.

Since the Reformation, and inclosures aforesaid, these parts have swarmed with poor people.  The parish of Cain pays to the poor (1663) L500 per annum; and the parish of Chippenham little less, as appears by the poor’s books there.  Inclosures are for the private, not for the public, good.  For a shepherd and his dog, or a milk-maid, can manage meadow-land, that upon arable, employed the hands of several scores of labourers.

In those times (besides the jollities already mentioned) they had their pilgrimages to Walsingham, Canterbury, &c. to several shrines, as chiefly hereabouts, to St. Joseph’s of Arimathea, at his chapel in Glastonbury Abbey.  In the roads thither were several houses of entertainment, built purposely for them; among others, was the house called “The Chapel of Playster” near Box; and a great house called ....... without Lafford’s Gate, near Bristol.