OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 95 



enforced to be supplied by toleration of Com- 

 mendams, things of themselves unfit, and ever held 

 of no good report. And as for the benefices and 

 pastors places, it is manifest that very many of them 

 are very weak and penurious. On the other side, 

 that there was a time when the Church was rather 

 burdened with superfluity, than with lack, that is 

 likewise apparent ; but it is long since ; so as the 

 fault was in others, the want redoundeth unto us. 

 Again, that it were to be wished that impropriations 

 were returned to the Church as the most proper 

 and natural endowments thereof, is a thing likewise 

 wherein men s judgments will not much vary. Ne 

 vertheless, that it is an impossibility to proceed now, 

 either to their resumption or redemption, is as plain 

 on the other side. For men are stated in them by 

 the highest assurance of the kingdom, which is, act 

 of parliament ; and the value of them amounteth 

 much above ten subsidies ; and the restitution must 

 of necessity pass their hands, in whose hands they 

 are now in possession or interest. 



But of these things which are manifestly true, to 

 infer and ground some conclusions. First, in mine 

 own opinion and sense, I must confess, let me speak 

 it with reverence, that all the parliaments since 27 

 and 31 of Henry VIII. who gave away impropria 

 tions from the Church, seem to me to stand in a sort 

 obnoxious, and obliged to God in conscience to do 

 somewhat for the Church, to reduce the patrimony 

 thereof to a competency. For since they have de 

 barred Christ s wife of a great part of her dowry, it 



