236 JAMAICA. 



admonitions; for it is queftioned, whether he can fufpend any 

 clergyman here, either ab officio, or a benefiao; fince it is cxprefsly 

 enaded, by :i(k of aflembly, " that no ecclefiaftical law, or ju- 

 " rifdidlion, fhall have power to enforce, confirm, or eftabliih, 

 " any penal mul»5ls, or punifhment, in any cafe whatfoever:" and, 

 as the deprivation either of a living, or its emoliunents, is virtually 

 a mulft, and adually a puniOiment, the opinion is ftrong againft 

 his right of interpofition. The governor, as fupreme head of the 

 provincial church, and in virtue of the royal inilrudions, is vefted 

 with a power of fufpendinga clergyman here, of lewd and diforderly 

 life, ab officio, upon the petition of his parifhioners ; and I can re- 

 member one example of this fort. The governor indufts into the 

 feveral rectories within the ifland and its dependencies ; the parties 

 firfl: producing before him the teftimonials of their being regularly 

 in orders, and taking the ufual oaths. The cuftom of tythes has 

 never been in ufe here : inftead of them, the feveral ftipends are 

 cftablifhed by law, and levied by thejuftices and veflries ; who are 

 iikevvife empowered to appoint and limit the fees for chriftening, 

 marriage, churching, and burial. No minifter is to dem.and or 

 take his ftipend for any longer time than he (liall actually officiate in 

 his parifh, ficknefs only excepted ; fo that a iufpenfion ab officio is, 

 in fadl, a fufpenfion alfo a beneficio. They are required to regifter 

 births, chrillenings, marriages, and burials. Thefe entries are 

 declared authentic records, to be received as fuch in any court of 

 juftice; and the ftcaling, razing, or embezzling of them is made 

 felony. Every beneficed minider is, ex officio^ a freeholder to all 

 intents and purpofes, and accordingly admitted to vote at eledlions 

 of aflembly-membcrs. He is alfo to be conftantly one of the 

 veflry; and no vefiry can make any order, without firff giving 

 timely notice to the miniiier, that he may attend if he thinks fif. 

 The ordinance refpeding non-officiating is but vaguely exprefled ; 

 however, it has been thought ftrong enough to juftify the church- 

 wardens and veflry in refufing to pay the ffipend, in cafe their 

 reSor fhould wilfully refufe to perform theduties of his cure. It is 

 fuppofed, that non-refidence is implied, becaule in the reftor's ab- 

 fence, the parifliioners are left to bury their own dead; and a wil- 

 ful negledt of the performance of any duty is much the fame, \n 



effedf^ 



