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those fixed by an Act passed in the fourth and fifth years of your Majesty's reign, as comprising the metropolitan district.

In consideration of the great additional population which will then be placed under the superintendence of the Bishop of London, we have thought it right to relieve that diocese from the whole county of Hertford, and from those parts of the county of Essex which are not included within the new limits.

20. That the diocese of Rochester shall consist of the city and deanery of Rochester; of the county of Essex (excepting those parishes which will remain in the diocese of London), and of the whole county of Hertford; and that an arrangement shall be effected at the earliest convenient opportunity by which a residence for the Bishop of Rochester may be provided in the county of Essex or Hertford, instead of his present house of residence, at Bromley, in Kent.

21. That the diocese of Oxford shall be increased by the addition of the county of Buckingham, from the diocese of Lincoln, and of Berkshire, from that of Salisbury.

22. That to the diocese of Salisbury, reduced according to the foregoing propositions, shall be added the whole county of Dorset, now part of the diocese of Bristol.

23. That the diocese of Canterbury shall consist of the county of Kent (except those parts which are to be included in the dioceses of London and Rochester), and of the district of Lambeth Palace, and the parishes of Addington and Croydon, in the county of Surrey.

24. That the diocese of Winchester shall remain unaltered, except as to those parts which are to be transferred to the dioceses of Canterbury and London.

25. Some doubts having been raised as to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Exeter over the Scilly Islands, we think that those doubts should be removed. No other suggestion is offered respecting that diocese; nor is it proposed that any alteration should be made in the diocese of Bath and Wells, or in that of Chichester.

We further propose

26. That all parishes, not specified in this Report, which are locally situate in one diocese, but under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of another diocese, shall become subject to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of the diocese within which they are locally situate.

We have used our best endeavours to learn the opinions of the several Bishops respecting these proposed arrangements, as far as they affect their respective dioceses; and have availed ourselves of many suggestions which their local knowledge enabled them to supply.

If your Majesty shall approve of the above propositions, it will be necessary that we should consider of some plan for providing a residence for each of the Bishops of Manchester and Ripon, and also for the Bishop of Lincoln, whose residence at Buckden will not then be within his diocese.

The adoption of the alterations now suggested will involve the necessity of varying the limits of some archdeaconries and rural deaneries; and we further think that it will be highly expedient to place every parish within a deanery, and every deanery within an archdeaconry; and that no archdeaconry should extend into more than one diocese.

II. REVENUE.

Under this head the report proceeds as follows:

In considering the subject of episcopal revenues we have been materially assisted by the returns made to the Commissioners appointed under a Commission issued by your Majesty in the year 1832, and extended in the years 1833 and 1834, for inquiring, amongst other things, into the "revenues and patronage belonging to the several archiepiscopal and episcopal sees in England and Wales."

These returns generally present the average of three years, ending 31st of December, 1831; but in some instances they contain corrections to a later date.

As the greater part of the episcopal revenues arises from fines on the renewal of leases, of which some are granted for three lives, renewable when a life drops, and others for twenty-one years, renewable every seven, and in towns for forty years, renewable every fourteen, it is manifest that a period of three years is too short to exhibit a correct average of the annual value of the several sees; and that an average so taken will shew an excess where large fines have recently accrued, and a deficit where no fine, or an unusually small amount of fines, has been received. But as this point has been adverted to by the Bishops in estimating the probable increase or diminution of the incomes of their respective sees, we may venture to refer your Majesty to the following table, framed from those returns, as containing information sufficiently accurate for the purposes of this report.

(In the following table, a column which details the probable causes of increase or diminution is omitted, but shall appear in the next number.)

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The report thon proceeds

6,500

According to the foregoing table the net income of all the bishopricks of England and Wales in the year 1831 amounted, on an average of three years, to the sum of 157,7377., and may now be calculated at about 148,8751.; but it appears that this amount is very unequally distributed, the incomes of onehalf of the bishopricks falling below the sum necessary to cover the expenses to which a Bishop is unavoidably subject. A different distribution of the Episcopal revenues is the natural remedy of this inconvenience. Incomes must also be provided for the two new sees which are to be erected.

If the total amount of the net income of the bishopricks, as stated in the second column of the preceding table, had been liable to no further diminution, we apprehend that these objects might have been nearly accomplished by such a distribution, without any addition to those incomes by means of commendams, either with or without cure of souls; the former of which additions we think ought to be altogether discontinued.

This might be done by enabling the future incumbents of the richer sees either to transfer part of the estates to the poorer bishopricks, or to pay over annually a portion of their incomes to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, to be applied to the augmentation of such bishopricks; or either of these modes might be adopted, according to the particular circumstances of each

case.

The total amount, as above stated, cannot be, however, considered as the future income, for the reasons alleged in the third column, which shews a diminution of nearly 9,000l. per annum; and a farther diminution is also to be expected from the application, either in whole or in part, of impropriations, which form a considerable portion of the incomes of many bishopricks, and which in most instances they were compelled to accept in exchange for manors and estates, for the improvement of populous and poorly-endowed vicarages, and curacies connected with them.

The total income of the bishopricks in England and Wales will then no longer be sufficient to afford an adequate income to each bishop, merely by a different distribution; and the most obvious mode of supplying the deficiency will be permanently to annex to some of the poorer bishopricks certain cathedral preferment; particularly in the Chapters of St. Paul's and Westminster, on account of their position in the metropolis.

In considering the incomes of the Archbishops and Bishops, it is proper to advert not only to the expenses necessarily incurred in journeys for the purposes of confirmation, consecration, and other official duties, in maintaining ancient and extensive houses of residence, in keeping up hospitality, and in contributing to all objects connected with religion and charity, in a manner suitable to their station, but to a burden which presses heavily on newlypromoted Bishops, who are seldom men of wealth. The unavoidable expenses attending their appointment are so considerable, that they may be calculated at the income of one whole year in most of the sees, and at much more than a year's income in the smaller ones.

Upon the whole we are of opinion that where the annual income of a Bishop amounts to 4,500l. it is not necessary to make any addition; nor would we recommend any diminution, unless it exceed 5,500l. But we think that the two Archbishopricks, and the Bishopricks of London, Durham, and Winchester, ought to have a larger provision than the rest.

These arrangements, if carried into effect, will tend to promote the desirable object of diminishing the frequency of translation.

III. PATRONAGE.

Under this head the report proceeds nearly in the following terms:

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If your Majesty shall be pleased to concur in the suggestion for erecting two new sees, it will, in our opinion, be expedient for the interests of the Church that the Bishops of those sees shall possess a certain portion of patronage, in order that they may be enabled to reward deserving clergymen within their dioceses. For this purpose it will be necessary to transfer some advowsons to the Bishops of the new sees.

We do not propose that when a district is transferred from one diocese to another the whole of the patronage within such district should likewise pass; but in many instances a partial transfer will be desirable. We, therefore, humbly submit to your Majesty the expediency of providing for all these cases in any Legislative measure which may be founded upon this report.

We respectfully beg to be understood that in all the proposals which we have submitted to your Majesty we assume that regard will be had to vested interests; and that none of the proposed changes shall take place with respect to Bishops or incumbents now in possession, without their consent.

The subject alluded to at the commencement of our Report, as one to which we had given our attention out of its regular course, is that of a vacancy in one of the prebendal stalls in the collegiate church of Westminster; respecting which we, at our first meeting, received the following letter from the Chancellor of your Majesty's Exchequer :

-

"Whitehall, Feb. 4.

"My Lords and Gentlemen,-I feel it to be my duty to inform you that, a vacancy having taken place in a prebendal stall at Westminster, I have advised his Majesty to suspend any appointment to that stall until the circumstances connected with it can undergo the inquiry and consideration of the Commission of which you are members; and I have it in command from his Majesty to inform you, that he shall be prepared, so far as the Royal prerogative is concerned, to make any arrangement with respect to this preferment which shall appear to the Commission best calculated to effect the important object for which the Commission was appointed, and in the successful prosecution of which his Majesty takes the deepest interest.—I have the honour, &c.

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Impressed with this strong mark of the desire which your Majesty entertains to forward the objects of this Commission, we proceeded without delay to consider of the best method of giving effect to your Majesty's gracious intentions.

We ascertained, upon inquiry, that the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster, which adjoins the collegiate church, has no individual Rector nor Vicar; but that the Dean and Chapter, who are the Rectors, are bound to provide for the cure of souls, which they generally do, by committing it to one of their own body.

We further found that the parish contained, according to the last census, a population of 25,334; and that, besides the parochial church (of which a portion is devoted to the use of the House of Commons), it has no regular place of worship according to the rites of the Church of England. But there is a Chapel, called Broadway Chapel, capable of accommodating about 1,000 persons, which belongs to the Dean and Chapter, and is by them leased, at a nominal rent, to a clergyman, who performs the duty, and receives the pew rents; but has no parochial charge.

It appeared to us, therefore, that the vacant stall could not be better applied than by making it subservient to the spiritual wants of this very populous and increasing parish.

With this view we propose that the church of St. Margaret shall be permanently annexed to the vacant stall in the collegiate church; and that a portion of the annual profits of the stall shall be suffered to accumulate until a new church shall be built, when the parish shall be divided, and the incumbent of the new parish shall receive that annual portion; the accumulation being applied towards providing a parsonage house for such incumbent...

We deemed it right to communicate to the Dean and Chapter our proposals on this head; and we have great satisfaction in stating to your Majesty their prompt acquiescence, and their readiness to give up to your Majesty the patronage of St. Margaret's church. They at the same time voluntarily offered to surrender, as far as the law would allow them, their property in Broadway chapel, with a view of its becoming a chapel of ease to the rectory of St. Margaret, with a certain district assigned to it. Should this arrangement take effect, it may be considered proper that a small portion of the income of the stall should be appropriated to the minister of Broadway chapel.

We are proceeding with all diligence in our inquiry respecting the other important subjects to which your Majesty has been pleased to direct our attention, and shall forthwith take into our consideration the present state of the several cathedrals and collegiate churches in England and Wales, with the view of submitting to your Majesty some measures by which those foundations may be made more conducive than they now are to the efficiency of the Established Church.

We cannot conclude this report without gratefully acknowledging the additional proof of your Majesty's anxiety to promote the important objects of this Commission, which has been afforded in the communication of your Majesty's intention to defer any nomination to the Prebendal Stall in the cathedral of Canterbury, which has recently become vacant, until the circumstances connected with it shall have undergone our consideration.

We have the satisfaction of informing your Majesty, the Lord Chancellor, and the Archbishops and Bishops, who are members of this Commission, have signified to us their intention of pursuing, with regard to ecclesiastical preferments in their respective patronage, not connected with the cure of souls, the same course which your Majesty has been graciously pleased to adopt with regard to the patronage of the Crown.

The appointment to a prebendal stall, which has recently become vacant at York, has accordingly been reserved by the Archbishop of York until the Commissioners shall have had an opportunity of reporting their opinion as to the best arrangements that can be made with respect to it.

Your Majesty's gracious communication-acquainting us that in the event of the avoidance of bishopricks, or other preferments in the gift of the Crown, the holders of which may have in their patronage dignities or offices not connected with the cure of souls, your Majesty will make such conditional appointments as shall reserve all such dignities or offices for the consideration of the Commissioners-will enable us to proceed in our inquiries, with that caution and circumspection which it is so desirable to observe, and will, at the same time, preclude the possibility of any inconvenience from the delay which is inseparable from full and minute inquiry into matters so important, and so various in respect to their local peculiarities.

DISSENTERS' MARRIAGE BILL

THE following is an abstract of the Act for relieving dissenters from the necessity of marrying according to the ceremony of the established church. By the provisions of the new Bill, "Dissenters (one of them having resided seven days in any particular hundred) may go before a resident magistrate and declare their intention of marrying, setting forth in an affidavit that the parties applying are dissenters and object to be married according to the rules of the establishment-that they are of age, or that they have consent, &c., and that there are no lawful impediments, &c.; and fourteen days after making such affidavit, but not if three months are allowed to elapse, the parties may again go before the magistrate, and go through a simple form of civil contract by signing a declaration that they consider themselves man and wife. This will constitute a legal marriage; the magistrate before whom the contract is signed taking care to transmit the declaration to the parson of the parish, who will register it in the way marriages are ordinarily registered. Upon this ceremony the fee will amount to 78.-28. of which to be paid to the magistrate, and 5s. to the clergyman."

VOL. VII.-April, 1835.

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