The technical term, in this case, was rich in satiric meaning; Mr.Bride's incumbency quickly reduced him to pauperism.

At the end of the first twelvemonth in his rural benefice the unfortunate cleric made a calculation that he was legally responsible for rather more than twice the sum of money represented by his stipend and the offertories.
The church needed a new roof; the parsonage was barely habitable for long lack of repairs; the church school lost its teacher through default of salary--and so on.

With endless difficulty Mr.Bride escaped from his vicarage to freedom and semi-starvation, and deemed himself very lucky indeed when at length he regained levitical harbourage.
These things had his daughter watched with her intent dark eyes; Constance Bride did not feel kindly disposed towards the Church of England as by law established.

She had seen her mother sink under penury and humiliation and all unmerited hardship; she had seen her father changed from a vigorous, hopeful, kindly man to an embittered pessimist.

As for herself, sound health and a good endowment of brains enabled her to make a way in the world.