A history of tithes

"A History of Tithes" by Rev. Henry William Clarke is a study of the tithe, looking at its origins and changes, especially in England's Christian history. The book looks closely at old documents and ideas about how tithes were paid, explaining how church habits and rules changed through the years. Clarke's research relies on the work of past scholars like John Selden, while disagreeing with some of their ideas, and he points out that the history of tithes is complicated and debated, especially concerning how they started, who required them, and the interpretation of historical writings. The book starts by discussing the beginnings of tithes in the Bible and then moves on to how they were used in the early Christian church, showing the conflict between giving freely and being forced to pay as the church gained power.