of their fellow subjects? What satisfactory reason can be
therefore given, why they alone should bear the whole additional weight,
unless it will be alleged that their property is not upon an equal foot
with the properties of other men? They acquire their own small pittance,
by at least as honest means, as their neighbours, the landlords, possess
their estates; and have been always supposed, except in rebellious or
fanatical times, to have as good a title: For, no families now in being
can shew a more ancient. Indeed, if it be true, that some persons (I
hope they were not many) were seen to laugh when the rights of the
Clergy were mentioned; in this case, an opinion may possibly be soon
advanced, that they have no rights at all. And this is likely enough to
gain ground, in proportion as the contempt of all religion shall
increase; which is already in a very forward way.

It is said, there will be also added to this Bill a clause for
diminishing the tithe of hops, in order to cultivate that useful plant
among us: And here likewise the load is to lie entirely on the shoulders
of the Clergy, while the landlords reap all the benefit. It will not be
easy to foresee where such proceedings are like to stop: Or whether by
the same authority, in civil times, a parliament may not as justly
challenge the same power in reducing all things titheable, not below the
tenth part of the product, (which is and ever will be the Clergy's
equitable right) but from a tenth-part to a sixtieth or eightieth, and
from thence to nothing.

I have heard it granted by skilful persons, that the practice of taxing
the Clergy by parliament, without their own consent, is a new thing, not
much above the date of seventy years: before which period, in times of
peace, they always taxed themselves. But things are extremely altered at
present: It is not now sufficient to tax them in common with their
fellow subjects, without imposing an additional tax upon them, from
which, or from anything equivalent, all their fellow-subjects are
exempt; and this in a country professing Christianity.

The greatest part of the Clergy throughout this kingdom, have been
stripped of their glebes by the confusion of times, by violence, fraud,
oppression, and other unlawful means: All which glebes are now in the
hands of the laity. So that they now are generally forced to lie at the
mercy of landlords, for a small piece of ground in their parishes, at a
most exorbitant rent, and