TITHES. 



Icaiitv allowance of ftipcnd in tliat paiini bears too fmall a 

 proportion to the weight of the charge, provided there arc 

 free and unappropriated tithes in the paridi, the comjriii- 

 fioners, on the application of the clergyman, grant an addi- 

 tional ftipcnd, cither in money, but more generally, where 

 pra6ticablc, in grain, as being lefs fluftuating in value than 

 money. But that owing to the free tithe in the pariiii 

 having been previoudy alfigned to the clergyman, fomc 

 inftances do occur, where tlic commifiioners have it not m 

 their power to augment his ftipend, although it be too fmall 

 for the decent maintenance of a numerous family. In all 

 fuch cafes it would, it is thought, be highly proper to 

 apply part of tlie bifhop's tithes, fuch as are now payable 

 to the crown, to the purpofe of rendering the fituation of 

 thefe clergymen, who arc fo unfortunately fituated, more 

 decent .ind refpeftable. 



In order to the introduftion of a fuitable arrangement 

 in regard to tithes in this part of the country, it is remarked, 

 that the queftion has been for fome time paft very popular, 

 and much agitated ; and that many difficulties have been 

 ftarted, apparently for the purpofe of rendering it more 

 perplexed and complicated than it is in reality. Holding 

 it as a facred and inviolable principle, that tithes, as now 

 payable in England, were formerly appropriated for par- 

 ticular purpofcs, and that although in many inftances alien- 

 ations were made at different periods ; yet that as thele are 

 cxprefsly or virtually confirmed by thofe laws which proteft 

 national and individual property ; therefore tithes, as now 

 payable in the fouthern part of the ifland, are payable in 

 conformity to the laws of the country. This being granted, 

 no man who has a regard for juftice, who venerates the 

 conftitution, or who would not wifli to fee the rights of 

 property invaded, but mull be fatisfied, that if the prefent 

 mode of paying tithes is abohlhed, the clergy and the lay- 

 proprietors of tithes are> in law, juftice, and equity, en- 

 titled to an equivalent. What that equivalent ought to be, 

 and in what manner afcertained, becomes the queftion. It 

 is obferved, that it is not by appeals to quarter-fefiions, 

 nor by fpecial aAs of parliament for this or that particular 

 diocefc or parifti, that this great national queftion can be 

 determined with propriety : it is only by a fubmiffion of 

 all rights and claims of both parties to the determination of 

 fome one refpeftable individual, that the matter can be 

 amicably or equitably decided. And it is thought, that the 

 moft proper individual to be made choice of is the fovereign, 

 or perfon holding the government of the country. 



The clergy, it is faid, need not be afraid to appeal to 

 fuch an arbiter, as in the courfe of a great length of time 

 there has been no inftance of any degree of infringement of 

 or upon their rights. The land-holders and lay tithe- 

 owners may keep their minds at eafe, as though the moft 

 facred regard for religion has been evinced, yet it has been 

 divefted of fuperftition or bigotry. If, it is continued, 

 Charles I. during the anarchy of church-government that 

 prevailed in his time, found no difficulty in paffing a decree 

 in a fimilar cafe, which, having received the fanftion of 

 parliament as a matter of courfe, laid the foundation for a 

 juft and equitable arrangement of the tithes, the bufinefs 

 may unqucftionably be accomplidicd with much lefs diffi- 

 culty at the prefent period. The probable confequences of 

 fuch a fubmiffion would, it is thought, be, that the arbiter 

 would no doubt appoint commiffioners to examine and 

 afcertain the yearly value of all the landed property in 

 England, the produce of which is fubjcft to the payment 

 of tithes. Were the yearly value of the lands afcertained 

 by a corn-rent in place of one in money, and which, it is 

 fuppofcd, might be eafily done by taking the average price 



of corn for the feven or ton years or more laft paft, with 

 the exception, however, of 1795, and fome other fcarce 

 and dear years, the clergy could fuftain no lofs, nor would 

 after valuations in confequence of the depreciation in the 

 value of money, be rendered ncceifary. 



Tliis being done, a fifth, a fixth, or any other given pro- 

 portion of the free rent, after the payment of parliamentary 

 taxes affefting land, would be declared due to tiie tithe- 

 owner in lieu of the payment of tithes in kind. One claufe 

 of the decree would probably, it is thought, be, to compel 

 every lay-owner of tithes to fell his right to the land-holder, 

 at a fair and equitable, but regulated price ; and another 

 would moft likely be, declaring the clergy entitled for ever 

 to a fifth or fixth, or fome other determinate proportion of 

 the prefent real free rent of all titheable lands, to v»hich 

 they may have right, and fubjefting the proprietors to the 

 regular payment thereof. Thus at once would, it is faid, 

 a load which has for many ages prefied down the fpirit of 

 the Enghfli farmers, be removed, and that while all ranks 

 and degrees muft applaud the equity and the propriety of 

 the arrangement, a fpirit for agricultural improvements 

 would evince itfelf fuperior, it is thought, to any of which 

 the records of this country make mention. 



It is fuppofed that this mode is the lefs exceptionable, as 

 it is almoft fimilar to that adopted when afts of parliament 

 are pafled for enclofing particular parilhes. At the firft 

 meeting of the commiffioners named in fuch afts, they direft, 

 that all having intereft may deliver in their claims, and the 

 rights or grounds on which they claim, againft a certain 

 day. Thofe being afterwards examined by the commif- 

 fioners, who are neither more nor lefs than arbiters appointed 

 by the legiflature, their decifion conftitutes the law in 

 regard to the right by which the individual proprietors 

 hold the lands, which by the arbiter's award is affigned to 

 them. In place, therefore, of multiplying afts of parha- 

 mcnt refpcfting the adjuftment of tithes ad infinitum, one 

 only, and that a very fhort one, feems neceffary, authorizing 

 the governing perfon to arbitrate between the owners of 

 the tithes and the land-holders ; and whofe award, like that 

 of the commiffioners appointed under afts of parliament for 

 enclofures, ftiould be final, and have the eScft of law. 

 Having thus laid down the general principle, it will not 

 be expefted that any attempt will be made to combat the 

 little difficulties that may be ftarted againft the praftica- 

 bility of carrying the meafures founded thereon into effeft. 

 Thefe the wifdom of the arbitrator will be fully fufficient 

 to obviate and direft. One thing is certain, it is fuppofed, 

 namely, that a decree-arbitral or judgment, pronounced by 

 fuch high authority, and founded on thefe principles, would 

 give univerfal fatisfaftion to every party concerned. 



On a matter which is fo very interefting and important 

 to the Englifh land-holder and farmer, it will be ncceifary 

 and ufeful to bring to the inquirer's notice and attention a 

 few of the different other modes and plans which have been 

 fuggcfted at different times by different writers for effetling 

 the buiinefs and adjuftment of the matter of tithes. 



The intelligent writer of the Effays on rural affairs has 

 fuppofed, that the tithes of or in England and Wales ftiould 

 be converted, fo as to make a payment in money be univer- 

 fally received in lieu of the payments in kind that are at pre- 

 fent exigeable ; but under fuch modifications as to prevent 

 the poffibility of thofe who are entitled to draw the tithes 

 from fuffering by the depreciation in the value of money, 

 which we have feen for a long time paft has been going on in 

 a regular progreffion ; and which may be expefted to con- 

 tinue ; or may, perhaps, as at this time in a neighbouring 

 country, be funk almoft to nothing by fome political (hock 



that 



