vestraem in iisdem bonis ae
jure & ae legibus, quam ab iis ae quibus illa ipsa bona relicta sunt._

Cicero _pro_ A. Caecina.

Written in the Year 1723.

Printed in the Year MDCCXXXIII.

In handling this subject, I shall proceed wholly upon the supposition,
that those of our party, who profess themselves members of the church
established, and under the apostolical government of bishops, do desire
the continuance and transmission of it to posterity, at least, in as
good a condition as it is at present. Because, as this discourse is not
calculated for dissenters of any kind; so neither will it suit the talk
or sentiments of those persons, who, with the denomination of churchmen,
are oppressors of the inferior clergy, and perpetually quarrelling at
the great incomes of the bishops; which is a traditional cant delivered
down from former times, and continued with great reason, although it be
now near 200 years since almost three parts in four of the church
revenues have been taken from the clergy: Besides the spoils that have
been gradually made ever since, of glebes and other lands, by the
confusion of times, the fraud of encroaching neighbours, or the power of
oppressors, too great to be encountered.

About the time of the Reformation, many popish bishops of this kingdom,
knowing they must have been soon ejected, if they would not change their
religion, made long leases and fee-farms of great part of their lands,
reserving very inconsiderable rents, sometimes only a chiefry; by a
power they assumed, directly contrary to many ancient canons, yet
consistent enough with the common law. This trade held on for many years
after the bishops became Protestants; and some of their names are still
remembered with infamy, on account of enriching their families by such
sacrilegious alienations. By these means, episcopal revenues were so low
reduced, that three or four sees were often united to make a tolerable
competency. For some remedy to this evil, King James the First, by a
bounty that became a good Christian prince, bestowed several forfeited
lands on the northern bishoprics: But in all other parts of the kingdom,
the Church continued still in the same distress and poverty; some of the
sees hardly possessing enough to maintain a country vicar. About the
middle of King Charles the First's reign, the legislature here thought
fit to put a stop, at least, to any farther alienations; and so a law
was enacted, prohibiting all bish