






$43 
by virtue of the aét, 
‘fame obfervation will, 
ceived every mark of attention, of which 
it is capable ; and the bifhops, in whom, 
a difcretionary 
power of augimenting the incomes of 
curates, as they fee convenient, is lodged, 
have fponteneoufly come forward infome 
places, and contiderably meliorated their 
condition. 
But its falutary effects have, never- 
thelefs, been extremely confined. ‘The 
power of obtaining licences from the 
bifhop by thofe who are employed, 
though not nominated, is, perhaps, the 
greatet advantage to curates, which 
Fefults from the Sie fince, by this means, 
their fituations are rendered more per- 
manent, and they cannot be removed at 
the pleafure of the incumb bents, u unlets 
there fhall aes fuch reafo):able and 
fatisfatory caufe as the ordinary fhail 
approve. In many diocefes it will, I 
am ‘afraid, be found upon examination, 
that the falaries, in a great meafure, re- 
main the fame which they were before 
the act took place, notwithfanding the 
neceffity there is of their being augment- 
ed. In the connties of Cumberland and 
Weitmoreland, there have been, compa- 
ratively fpeaking, very few .augmenta- 
tions of the incomes of curates.. The 
I believe, hold 
good, relative to the Atipends of curates 
in general in moft of the northern, and 
fomeof the fouthern, counties; and I 
have been induced to feleét the above, 
in preference to others, only on account 
of their falling more particularly under 
my immediate notice, and not as ae 
more applicable to the prefent remarks 
than the reft. 
To the vatue of fome of the livings in 
Weefimoreland, on which the ve aa 
never refide, I have, for the fatisfa&tion- 
of your readers, 2 and in teftimeny of the 
foregoing affertions, fubjoined an ‘account 
ef thie falavies allowed to the curate of 
each church; and, frem tke beft in- 
fermation I have tee able ta colleét. 
have reafon to -imagine the following 
ftatement pretty accurate: 
Yearl. val. 
‘The curate of one of £.280 has £.36 peran. 
Une aa ati ancient Pha eae 
Be RRM OO Mae 1) oot vanes ac aR 
re wes ie emer Reh SUNOS. ey 
1 DON AVS eO ais emma Netti uct gee 9 lasek ake 
as Sick po whe Uae nian Oe, coe Sh a 
Q 
- ° ° 
© 

Teta J £-890 
ee 

Ie will here naturally be afked by the 
ly. Robinfon on the Maintenance of Curates. 
[ December, 
man of independence, whether the fum of 
£-754, which remains after the falaries 
of the curates are deducted, much aiflifts. 
the caufe of religion? And, I fear, the 
gueftion cannot be ohare in’ the af- 
firmative. 
Now, by the late Curates Bill, it is 
enacted, “« That it fhail and may be law- 
ful for the bifhop or ordinary to appoint, 
under his hand and feal, any ftipend or 
allowance for any curate eer no- 
minated or employed, or hereafter to be 
nominated and employed, not exceeding 
feventy-five pounds per anhum ; over and 
befides, on livings where eae re€tor or 
vicar does not perfonally refide four 
months in thejyear at leat, the ufe of 
-the reétory or vicarage- eat and the 
garden and ftable thereunto belonging ; 
fuch ufe to be granted to the faid curate 
for the {pace of twelve calendar months, 
by the authority of the bifhop or ordinary, 
under his hand and feal, with power in 
the faid bifhop and ordinary to renew the 
grant from time to time, or the further 
fum of fifteen pounds per annum, in lieu 
of fuch houfe, garden, and ftable in cafe 
there’ fhall be none fuch, or that it fhall 
appear to the bifhop or ordinary, not to 
be convenient to allot and affign the 
fame to fuch curate.” 
But what benefits the curates defcribed 
above have received from this act, with 
regard to their mcomes, I am utterly at 
a’ lofs, Sir, to comprehend. It is not 
for me to di€@tate how much thefr: falaries 
ought to be; this province belongs. to 
higher authority. But, according to the 
valuations of the feveral livings before- 
mentioned, I fhould apprehend. it could 
not be deemed more than zeceffary to 
allow the ¢urates of the firft and fecond 
benefices fixty pounds each per annum 5 
the curate of the third livmg, forty 
pounds; of the fourth and fifth, thirty 
pounds each 5 and- of ‘the: fixth, twenty- 
five pounds. Neverthelefs, weliakewea di- 
verfity of cpinion may prevail refpecting 
the amount of the ftipends to be granted, 
this, however, cannot be denied: by any. 
one, that the prefent incomes .of thefe 
curates are not: proportionable to.the va= 
lue of the iivings which they ferve ; and 
this is, indeed, the whole of that fer which 
Iam contending. 
A queitien feems here to arife, atl it 
may with the greateft propriety be afk- 
ed, ifthefe curates are entitled to falaries 
of more value; by the late at, thanthey 
at prefent enjoy, what is the reafon they 
do not obtain them? To this. queftion 
Gifferent anfwers might _poffibly be given 
by 
