penury lack of money, property, or necessities; extreme poverty; destitution.
quagmire a difficult or inextricable position; here, referring to the difficulties caused by the loss of Prince, the Durbeyfield horse.
deferential very respectful.
van common carrier, usually a cart pulled by horses, which travels from town to town.
Malthusian of Malthus and his theory that the world population tends to increase faster than the food supply with inevitable disastrous results unless natural restrictions, such as war, famine, and disease, reduce the population or the increase is checked by moral restraint.
Druidical mistletoe to the Druids, mistletoe was sacred.
pollarded for bows had their boughs severed to make bows.
Chapels-of-Ease chapels for parishioners who lived far from the church.
crumby an attractive girl.
mistarshers (dialect) mustache.
dand (dialect) a bit more.
dolorifuge (archaic usage) painful, full or sorrow.
Holmberry a holly bush.
