LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP 6HARP. 119 



applications, and some very powerful ones, (as 

 in fact he had,) on the behalf of such clergymen 

 who were not within his rule (as not being of 

 his diocese,) that they might succeed to these 

 prebends as they became vacant. But notwith- 

 standing this was the chief branch of his patron- 

 age, whereby he had it in his power to oblige 

 those who interested themselves by their recom- 

 mendations ; and though he might without fear 

 of blame have dispensed these favours to whom 

 he pleased; yet he chose rather to resist all 

 solicitations, and deny all requests, (a thing 

 that went very hard with him, and which he 

 never did without a good reason,) than forego 

 the apparent advantages of this disposition. 

 For hereby he not only provided that the pul- 

 pits of those distinguished churches might be 

 more regularly supplied by their prebendaries, 

 among whom the preaching courses in each 

 place are distributed, and particularly that the 

 daily service in his cathedral might be better 

 attended by prebendaries beneficed and residing 

 in York city, where he always took care there 

 should be some, (and sometimes there were 

 four besides the residentiaries appointed by 

 statute,) but he also hereby gave proper and 

 seasonable encouragement to the ministers of tlit© 

 great and populous towns in his diocese. 



For whereas in large towns the livings usually 



