and by Act of Parliament wholly took away firft-Fruits and Tenths, fhe doing no Work to deferve fuch Wages. And what a Shame is this to our Nation, and our great Profeffions, after fo long Talk of Reformation, now to plead for fuch Wages of Unrighteousness, first exacted by the Pope, and then by fuch as affumed to themfelves the Stile of Head of the Church, who upon that very Account had them annexed to the Crown? And shall we now, who pretend to have caft off the Pope, and left the Headship of the Church unto Chrift, (worfe like than Queen Mary) uphold fuch wicked Oppreffions, which are the Ground of a great Part of good Men's Sufferings for Tythes this Day? For the Pretence of paying Tenths is the Ground of the many Suits for Tythes in the Exchequer, where otherwife by Law they could not, nor ought to be recovered. And as to the publick Revenue, I am informed they add not much thereunto, but all, or a great Part of them, are given in Augmentations to Priefts, who, no doubt, will receive them withoutScruple; though I know, many of them, not long fince, did complain against them as a Popish Oppreffion. But take away Tythes, and there are as many Glebe-Lands will fall to the State, as will fully make up that Lofs, which they may as well take away, as their Predeceffors did the Revenues of Abbeys and Monafteries; and when the People are eafed of Tythes, they will be better able, and more willing, to enlarge the publick Treasury, if it be found wanting.

BUT it's hoped, our State rather looks at the Freedom of the People, than the Increase of the Revenue; feeing fo lately they took away the Profits of the Court of Wards, which was a much better and greater Income, and granted many

great

great Men fuch Freedom for nothing, as they could neither in Right claim, nor in Reason expect, without a very great Sum, their Estates being given to them to hold by fuch Services; and furely, they will not deny the poorer Sort of People their own and dear bought Increase.

Secondly, To Impropriators, and fuch as have more lately bought Tythe-Rents.

AND to thefe I fay, though it be a general Rule, Caveat Emptor, yet feeing the Ignorance of former Days (but peeping out of Popery) did take it for granted (both Buyer and Seller) that the Title was good; and fince the Purchasers did pay great Sums of Money for them to the State, which went to the bearing and defraying the publick Charge of the Nation, it is juft, that they have a moderate Price for them, with which I believe moft (if not all) of them, would be well pleased and content; only in the Estimate of that Rate they muft confider, that they have bought no more, but what the Abbey, Monaftery, or other diffolved Houfe had; and these Houses, out of their appropriate Tythes, were to find a fufficient Prieft or Curate, Canonically inftituted, which was to have Allowance at the Difcretion of the Bishop of the Diocefs, and also a convenient Portion of the Tythe was to be fet apart, for the Yearly Maintenance of the Poor of the Parish for ever, as is provided by divers Acts of Parliament. And after the Diffolution and Sale of Tythes, the like Charge was, and ought to be continued upon them, as at large is proved, in a Treatife, called The poor Vicar's Plea; and let but fuch Purchafers look to their Original Grants, and they shall find, that the Yearly Value was but little, and

the

the Rate small after which they paid for them and in Regard of the Charges and Hazards upon them, they were feldom, or never, efteemed more worth than ten Years Purchase, and that Rate at an indifferent Yearly Value may well be accept

ed for them.

THIS Answer will please the Impropriator well, who hath not been without his Fears to lose his Tythes, and get little or nothing for them; and it cannot much displease others, because it is equal and juft, that feeing he cannot have what is bought, he have his Money returned without Lofs.

BUT the great Difficulty feemeth the raising of fo great a Sum of Money, and who fhall pay it? For first, there are many who plead, Our Lands are wholly Tythe-free: Others fay, we pay a Rate, or fmall Prescription-Rent, or have a modus decimandi, and our Tythe is very small, though our Lands be of good Value. Others fay, We have converted our Lands into Paftures, and pay little Tythe; and therefore, it feems not equal, that we should pay as much as thofe, whofe Lands confift of Tillage, whofe Tythes are often as much worth as the Land.

I anfwer, That the raifing of this Sum, is not to follow the Rate of Tythe, nor hath it any Relation to Tythe; for if it had, many would as justly fcruple the Payment of any Thing towards it, as they do the Payment of Tythes; but the Cafe must be thus confidered: At the Diffolution, Tythes of Abbeys, Monafteries, &c. were taken into the Hand of the State, they fold them, and the Money raised, went to the defraying and carrying on the great Charge then upon the Nation, as it was of late in our Days, when Tythe-Rents were fold; and at that Day, there were Wars with France and Scotland, and many great Exigences of State, as the Statutes for the Ground of the Diffolution

Diffolution fhew: And in the Service and Ufe of thefe Moneys, the whole Nation, and every Man therein, had his Share; and fo far as thofe Money's went, the People were spared, as the Cafe was with us of late; and fo he that had Land Tythe-free, and he that paid only a small Rate for Tythes, and he that had Pastures and no Tillage, all thefe fhared in the Sum, yea, and the very Impropriator himself; and not according to the Proportion of Tything, but according to the Value of their Eftates in Lands or Goods, by which they had been otherwife chargeable: And fo the Impropriator depofiting fo much Money upon a Pledge, the one being required, the other must be returned, and by a general Tax it must be raised, wherein every one must bear his Proportion, the very Impropriator himself.

BUT then in comes he that bought the Lands of Abbeys, &c. which, he faith, The Pope had made Tythe-Free, and that when he bought his Land, be alfo paid for the Tythe, and fo he must either be freed from paying to the Impropriator, or must have bis Money returned as well as be.

I answer, Though there are many fuch Purchafers, yet I believe, to the freeing the Nation from this great and long continued Oppreffion, they, or most Part of them, would be content to contribute without any fuch Demand: But if any ftand upon it, let him fhew what he paid for his Tythe, and he shall have it, which was not a Penny; for, fearch the Court of Augmentations, and it will be found, that there was not in the Value of Land, the least Difference made between Tythe-free, and that which paid Tythes; as there was not of late, in the Sale of Bishops, and Dean and Chapters Lands, many of which alfo were as much Tythe-free; and fo if they bought Land Tythe-free,

Tythe-free, as cheap as if they had paid Tythes; they have had Profit enough, and may now well afford to pay with their Neighbours.

Thirdly, To Parish-Minifters.

AND with these I defire a little to expoftulate the Matter, firft, as touching the End of their Work; and fecondly, as to the Way of their Maintenance. Their Work, as they pretend, is to preach the Gofpel, and to propagate Religi on: Now I would ask them, why they fuffer (not only fo many Villages, Country Towns, and Parishes, but) even great and populous Cities and Market-Towns, and whole Corners of Countries, to lye deftitute, who never could get any other Minister, than a poor Vicar or Reading Curate; they will presently answer me, there is no Maintenance, and without that they cannot live. If I ask them farther, why there is no Maintenance? they will tell me, It is either a City or Market-Town, to which there belongs no Land, and fo no Tythes; or it is an Impropriation, and pays only a fmall Stipend, or the Lands are Tythe-free, or claim Cuftoms and Prefcriptions, and only pay fmall Rates for Tythes; or otherwife the People have converted their arable Lands into Paftures, and their Tythe is of fmall Value, and will not afford a Maintenance. I would yet afk them again, Is not a third Part of the Nation in this Condition? And muft they never have an able Minister? Have they no Share in your Gofpel, because they have no Maintenance? Are none of you called to fuch Places? Or hath Chrift no Seed of Election amongst them? If this be not your Doctrine, yet your Practice preacheth it: And if you were really for fpreading your Gofpel,

F

and