96 OF THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 



were reason they made her a competent jointure. 

 Next to say, that impropriations should be only 

 charegd, that carrieth neither possibility nor reason. 

 Not possibility, for the reasons touched before : not 

 reason, because if it be conceived, that if any other 

 person be charged, it should be a re-charge, or dou 

 ble charge, inasmuch as he payeth tithes already, 

 that is a thing mistaken. For it must be remem 

 bered, that as the realm gave tithes to the Church, 

 so the realm since again hath given tithes away from 

 the Church unto the king, as they may give their 

 eighth sheaf or ninth sheaf. And therefore the first 

 gift being evacuated, it cannot go in defeasance or 

 discharge of that perpetual bond, wherewith men 

 are bound to maintain God s ministers. And so we 

 see in example, that divers godly and well-disposed 

 persons, not impropriators, are content to increase 

 their preachers livings ; which, though in law it be 

 but a benevolence, yet before God it is a con 

 science. Farther, that impropriation should not be 

 somewhat more deeply charged than other revenues 

 of like value, methinks, cannot well be denied, both 

 in regard of the ancient claim of the Church, and 

 the intention of the first giver : and again, because 

 they have passed in valuation between man and man 

 somewhat at the less rate, in regard of the said pre 

 tence or claim of the Church in conscience before 

 God. But of this point, touching Church-mainte 

 nance, I do not think fit to enter into farther par 

 ticularity, but reserve the same to a fitter time. 



