t of great antiquity.

II. That all purchases and leases of titheable lands, for many centuries
past, have been made and taken, subject to the demand of tithes, and
those lands sold and taken just so much the cheaper on that account.

III. That if any lands are exempted from tithes; or the legal demands
of such tithes lessened by act of parliament, so much value is taken
from the proprietor of the tithes, and vested in the proprietor of the
lands, or his head tenants.

IV. That no innocent unoffending person can be so deprived of his
property without the greatest violation of common justice.

V. That to do this upon a prospect of encouraging the linen, or any
other manufacture, is acting upon a very mistaken and unjust
supposition, inasmuch as the price of the lands so occupied will be no
way lessened to the farmer by such a law.

VI. That the Clergy are content cheerfully to bear (as they now do) any
burden in common with their fellow-subjects, either for the support of
his Majesty's government, or the encouragement of the trade of the
nation but think it very hard, that they should be singled out to pay
heavier taxes than others, at a time when by the decrease of the value
of their parishes they are less able to bear them.

VII. That the legislature hath heretofore distinguished the Clergy by
exemptions, and not by additional loads, and the present Clergy of the
kingdom hope they have not deserved worse of the legislature than their
predecessors.

VIII. That by the original constitution of these kingdoms, the Clergy
had the sole right of taxing themselves, and were in possession of that
right as low as the Restoration: And if that right be now devolved upon
the Commons by the cession of the Clergy, the Commons can be considered
in this case in no other light than as the guardians of the Clergy.

IX. That besides those tithes always in the possession of the Clergy;
there are some portion of tithes lately come into their possession by
purchase; that if this clause should take place, they would not be
allowed the benefit of these purchases, upon an equal footing of
advantage with the rest of their fellow-subjects. And that some tithes
in the hands of impropriators, are under settlements and mortgages.

X. That the gentlemen of this House should consider, that loading the
Clergy is loading their own younger brothers and children; with this
additional grievance, that it is taking from the younger and poorer, to
g