human
so characteristic of parish life in later reigns, shows itself in the many presentments of, and petitions against, persons supposedly immoral--especially single women. Not zeal for morality prompts these indictments, but fear that the community may have to support illegitimate children.[325] Quite typical of the times is the language held by the inhabitants of Castle Combe in appealing to the Wiltshire justices against a townwoman in 1606. They are apprehensive, they say, lest