194 LIFE OF ARCHBTRIIOP SHARP. 



that since your Grace obliges me to write thus 

 freely, that it is to yourself only that I winte. 



'* I am, my Lord, 

 *' With the greatest respects, &c. 



" Jo. Ebor." 



To the clerk he answered in these words. 



" Sir, 



** I received your letter, which I had 

 answered sooner, but that I had a great deal of 

 other business upon my hands. As to the sy- 

 nodals, I leave it to yourself, both to pay what 

 you please of them, and when you please ; for 

 I am not used to be hard upon the Clergy in those 

 matters. Though, in strictness of law, you may 

 be called upon for those that were due in your 

 predecessor's time, as well as those that have 

 become due since you came to the living ; they 

 being, like the King's tenths, chargeable upon 

 the rectories and vicarages ; so that whoever is 

 incumbent is liable to all arrears. But far be 

 it from me to make any such demands. 



As for the complaining part of your letter, I 

 will give you a short answer to it. I did ex- 

 press my unwillingness to comply with the 

 duke's request on your behalf; not upon account 

 of any unkindness, or ill will to you (as God 

 knoweth I have none), but purely because it 



