(V) That in all testimonials fent from any college or hall, in either of the universities, you expect that they be figned, as well as fealed, and that among the persons signing, the governor of fuch college or hall, or in his abfence, the next person under fuch gevernor, with the dean, or reader of divinity, and the tutor of the person to whom the testimonial is granted, (fuch tutor being in the college, and such person being under the degree of master of arts,) do fubfcribe their names. (VI) That you admit not any person to holy orders upon letters dimissory, unless they are granted by the bishop himself, or guardian of the spiritualties fede vacante; nor unless it be expressed in such letters, that be who grants them, bas fully fatisfied bimfeif of the title and converfation of the person to whom the letter is granted. (VII) That you make diligent inquiry concerning curates in your diocese, and proceed to ecclefiaftical cenfures against those who shall presume to ferve cures without being first duly licenjed thereunto; as also against all fuch incumbents who shall receive and employ them, without first obtaining fuch licence. (VIII) That you do not by any means admit of any minister, who removes from any other diocese, to serve as a curate in yours, without testimony of the bishop of that discese, or ordinary of the peculiar jurisdiction from whence he comes, in writing, of his honesty, ability, and conformity to the ecclefiaftical laws of the church of England. (IX) That you do not allow any minifter to serve more than one church or chapel in one day, except that chapel be a member of the parish church, or united thereunto; and unless the faid church or chapel where such a minister shall ferve in two places, be not able in your judgment to maintain a curate. (X) That in the instrument of licence granted to any curate, you appoint him a fufficient falary, according to the power vested in you by the laws of the church, and the particular direction of a late act of parliament for the better maintenance of curates. (XI) That in licences to be granted to perfons to ferve any cure, you cause to be inserted, after the mention of the particular cure provided for by fuch licences, a clause to this effect [or in any other parith within the diocese, to which such curate shall remove with the consent of the bishop]. (XII) That you take care, as much as possible, that whosoever is admitted to serve any cure, do refide in the parish where be is to ferve; especially in livings that are able to support a refident curate: and where that cannot be done, that they do at leaft refide so near to the place, that they may conveniently perform all their duties both in the church and parish. These, my lord, were the orders and resolutions, to which we all agreed; and which I do hereby tranfmit to you; defiring you to communicate them to the clergy of your diocese with an affurance that you are refolved, by the grace of God, to direct your practice in these particulars agreeably thereunto. And so commending you to the blessing of God in these, and all your other pious endeavours, for the service of his church, I heartily remain, my very good lord, your truly affectionate brother, W. CANT. (I) That you require of every person &c] By this first article fix things are required: viz. (1) That he signify to you his name and place of abode] It may be so ordered, that this shall be fet forth in the teftimonial, or title or both; but it seemeth rather, that by this article a distinct instrument is required for the fignification thereof. (2) And transmit to you his testimonial] According to the 34th canon, and the fourth and fifth articles of these directions. (3) And a certificate of his age duly attested] That is, from the register book, under the hands of the ministet and churchwardens of the parish where he was baptized; or, where that cannot be had, by other fufficient teftimony. (4) With the title upon which he is to be ordained] According to the tenor of the thirty-third canon before mentioned. . (5) At least twenty days before the time of ordination) By the canons aforesaid, the title and testimonial are required to be exhibited at the time of ordination: but by these directions, they are to be transmitted for so long time before, as that there may be opportunity to make inquiry,. if needful, into any of the particulars therein contained. (6) And that he appear on Wednesday, or at farthest on Thursday in ember week] This is agreeable to the canon law before mentioned out of Lindwood, that he shall appear on the fourth day before the ordination. (II) That if you shall reject &c.] This fecond article, of fignifying the names of persons rejected for immorality to the archbishop, is a prudent caution; and was not provided for before by any law. (III) That you admit not any perfon &c.) This article, concerning notice to be given in the church, is also a reafonable provifion, and agreeable to foreign practice (as E 2 bath 52 Drdination. hath been observed) altho' not particularly injoined by any law of our charch. In the present directions, as delivered by the archbishops of late years, there is an alteration in this article: Instead of the expreffion, that the minister and others shall certify "that notice was given in the church of his "intention to offer himself to be ordained at such a time, " to the end that any perfon who knows any impediment or nota" ble crime, for the which he ought not to be ordained, may " have opportunity to make his objections against him," (that is, to the bishop, as it seemeth ;) - it now runs, that they shall certify, "that such notice was given, and that upon " fuch notice given no objections have come to their knowledge, " for the which he ought not to be ordained," (which implies the objections to be notified to the persons signing the certificate.) (IV) That you admit not letters testimonial &c.] This and the next article concerning teftimonials, are fupplementary to the thirty-fourth canon; and for their obligation do depend on these injunctions, and not on any fixed law; and therefore may be varied from time to time, as the archbishops and bishops shall see cause. (V) That in all testimonials fent from any college &c.] By the canon, the common feal only of the college was required, which indeed of it felf (as in all other bodies corporate) doth imply a consent of the major part of the society: This article doth further require a quorum (as it were); namely, that of the faid major part, the head of the college, the dean, and the tutor, be three; and the same to appear by the subscription of their names, So that ordinarily it seemeth to be in the power of any one of those three, to prohibit any person of their college from being ordained; which thing perhaps may require some farther confideration. And it is much to the honour of the universities, that for so long time there have been no instances of the abuse of this power. (VI) That you admit not any person into holy orders upon letters dimifssory &c.] The article concerning letters dimissory, is only an admonition to put in due execution, what was the law of the church before. (VII) That you make diligent inquiry concerning curates in your diocese who shall prefume to serve cures without being first duly licensed] The substance of this article, concerning the licenfing of curates, was injoined before by several canons of the church. (VIII) That (VIII) That you do not by any means admit of any minister, who removes from another diocese, to serve as a curate in yours, without teftimony of the bishop of that diocese, of his honesty, ability, &c.] This article concerning curates bringing teftimonials from other dioceses, is nearly in the words of the forty-eighth canon. In the present rules, instead of the word honesty (which is taken from the canon), are inserted the words good life. (IX) That you do not allow any minister to serve more than one church or chaper in one day] This article also is in the words of the forty-eighth canon. (X) That in the instrument of licence granted to any curate, you appoint him a fufficient salary, according to the power vefted in you by the laws of the church] There seemeth to be no particular law of the church, by which any certain fum is limited for the stipend of curates in general, but such as are obfolete and ineffectual by reason of the great alteration in the value of money. But the ordinary may refuse to license the curate, unless the incumbent shall in his nomination and appointment promise to pay unto the curate such a certain annual sum. 1 And the particular direction of a late act of parliament] Which act is that of the 12 An. ft. 2. c. 12. for the curates of non-residents only; by which the ordinary hath power, according to the value of the living and the difficulty of the cure, to appoint a falary not exceeding fifty pounds a year, nor less than twenty. (XI) The clause to be inserted in the licence, that the same shall serve for any other parish within the diccese, is not injoined by any express law, but is very reasonable, being intended for the benefit of curates, that having been once examined and approved by the ordinary, they shall not need to be at the expence of a new licence for any other place unto which they shall remove within the diocese.Which clause is omitted out of the present directions, supposing it perhaps to be unnecessary, in a matter the utility whereof is felf-evident. XII) This article concerning the curate's refidence within the parish, is agreeable to the ancient laws of the church: and if the curate shall not comply with the ordinary's directions therein, the said ordinary may withdraw his lie cence. To these directions, two others have been subjoined of late years: ONE is, That you be very cautious in accepting refignations; and endeavour, with the utmost care, by every legal method, ta guard against corrupt and fimoniacal presentations to benefices.This feemeth to be intended to counteract the purpose of bonds of refignation; for if the bishop will not accept, the refignation is ineffectual. The OTHER is, That your clergy be required to wear their proper babits, preferving always an evident and decent diftinction from the laity in their apparel; and to shew, in their whole behaviour, that feriousness gravity and prudence, which becomes their function; abstaining from all unsuitable company and diversions. The word canonical, with respect to the habit, feems here to have been purposely omitted; fince no certain standard of dress can be conveniently limited by any canon or other law; and therefore general directions can only be applicable in such cases. UPON the whole, with respect to the matter before us, whilft these directions continue to be the rule in practice, there are these five instruments to be transmitted to the bishop, at least twenty days before the time of ordination, by every person defiring to be ordained; viz. First, a fignification of his name and place of abode. Secondly, a certificate of publication having been made in the church, of his design to enter into holy orders. Thirdly, letters testimonial of his good life and behaviour. Fourthly, certificate of his age. Fifthly, the title upon which he is to be ordained. And moreover, if he comes for priest's orders, he must exhibit to the bishop his letters of orders for deacon. Form of a title for orders. There is no particular form of a title prescribed by any canon, or other law: that which is most usual and approved seemeth to be as followeth: To the right reverend father in God Richard lord bishop of London. and These are to certify your loraship, that I A. B. rector [or, vicar] of in the county of -, and your lordShip's diocese of London, do hereby nominate and appoint C. D. to perform the office of a curate in my church of aforesaid, and do promije to allow him the yearly sum of for his maintenance in the fame, to continue him to officiate in my faid church until he shall be otherwise provided of some ecclefiaftical preferment, unless by fault by him committed he fhall be lawfully removed from the same. And I do folemnly declare, that I do not fraudulently give this certificate only to intitle the faid Ç. D. to receive holy orders, but with a real intention |