360 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SHARP. 



Another consequence of the Act of Tolera- 

 tion was the dissenting ministers taking upon 

 themselves to perform parochial offices, to the 

 grievance and detriment of the clergy of the 

 Church established. In the year 1704 (not long 

 before those debates in the House of Lords, 

 with reference to which these particulars are 

 mentioned), complaints of this kind against the 

 dissenters being renewed, he consulted some of 

 the judges upon this point. His letter to my 

 Lord Chief Justice Holt, with his Lordship's 

 answer, are as follows. 



*' Bishopthorp, May 29, 1704. 



" My Lord, 



" Having always found you so ready 

 to give me your advice in any matter wherein I 

 have had occasion to consult you, and for which 

 I must ever own my great obligation, I humbly 

 beg leave to propose to you a case wherein I 

 am now concerned. But I do it in such a 

 manner, that if your Lordship do not think 

 proper to declare your opinion in this case, I 

 then do not desire it, but only desire your 

 pardon for my giving you this trouble. 



*' I have, my Lord, complaints from some of 

 my clergy, that the non-conformist ministers do 

 them a great deal of prejudice, by taking upon 

 them to marry, bury, christen children, and 



