170 History of the 



rejirehensible. The grounds for any claim on his part were trivial 

 and untenable, or at least such as might easily have been resolved. 

 And the only plea to be urged in his justification is, that 

 his time was too much occupied in the other temporal and 

 spiritual duties of his high office, to admit of liis devoting more of 

 it to the settlement of the right of presentation to the New Church 

 of Rossendale, and of at once, on his raising the question, setting 

 himself to the investigation of the measure of his right of claim to 

 the patronage ; which, seeing that it could not be supported, should 

 have been conceded with all jjromptitude, so terminating the 

 dispute in a dignified and graceful manner. Tlicre is more to be 

 said in justification of the plea of the Diocesan. His claim was 

 founded on the Decree of the Chancellor of the Duchy of the 4th 

 Edward VI., which, whether rightly or wrongly, distinctly states 

 "that it shall be lawful to and for the Ordinary of the Diocese 



there for the time being to appoint, name, and 



send one discreet, able, meet, and convenient Minister to ser\'e the 

 said Town, and to minister in the said Chapel." The Original of 

 this Decree, however, was not forthcoming, although it had been 

 dihgently searched for at Chester and elsewhere, and consequently 

 the privilege which it seems to confer could not be enforced, 

 even had the argument of the Vicar in his last letter been 

 untenable. With much to justify his proceeding, Dr. Keene 

 acted an honourable part m promptly relinquishing a claim which 

 he could not legally maintain. Of Mr Johnson the Vicar it is 

 impossible to speak in too high terms of praise. _ His strength of 

 character stands out in bold relief throughout the correspondence. 

 A more timid and less able man would have shrunk from 

 encountering two such antagonists, and probably have forfeited -his 

 rights to secure his peace of mind. But the worthy Vicar was of a 

 belligerent temperament, and possessed a sturdy independence of 

 soul, and he entered into the contest with a zeal and ability, 

 tempered with rare prudence, which did him infinite credit. 



If reports, which to this day are current at Newchurch, are to be 

 credited, Mr. Shorrock, his ministerial office notwithstanding, was 



