countries do allow
that women shall sit upon the temporal thrones of the
earth, but on the lowest step of the throne of the Church
no woman has been allowed to sit as bearing authority,
the romantic tale of the woman Pope notwithstanding.
Thereupon, I left the palace in wrath, feeling myself
aggrieved that a woman should have attempted to dictate
to me, and finding it hopeless to get a clear instruction
from his lordship,--the woman taking up the word whenever
I put a question to my lord the bishop. Nothing,
therefore, came of that interview but fruitless labour to
myself, and anger, of which I have since been ashamed.

Since that time I have continued in my parish,--working,
not without zeal, though, in truth, almost without
hope,--and learning even from day to day that the opinions
of men around me have declared me to be guilty of the
crime imputed to me. And now the bishop has issued a
commission as preparatory to proceedings against me under
the Act for the punishment of clerical offences. In doing
this, I cannot say that the bishop has been ill-advised,
even though the advice may have come from that
evil-tongued lady, his wife. And I hold that a woman may
be called on for advice, with most salutary effect, in
affairs as to which any show of female authority should be
equally false and pernicious. With me it has ever been so,
and I have had a counsellor by me as wise as she has been
devoted.

It must be noticed that in the draft copy of his letter which Mr
Crawley gave to his wife to read this last sentence was not inserted.
Intending that she should read his letter, he omitted it till he made
the fair copy.

Over this commission his lordship has appointed Dr. Tempest
of Silverbridge to preside, and with him I have been in
communication. I trust that the labours of the gentlemen
of whom it is composed may be brought to a speedy close;
and, having regard to their trouble, which in such a
matter is, I fear, left without remuneration, I have
informed Dr. Tempest that I should write this letter to
you with the intent and assured purpose of resigning the
perpetual curacy of Hogglestock into your hands.

You will be good enough, therefore, to understand that
I do so resign the living, and that I shall continue to
administer the services of the Church only till some
clergyman, certified to me