benefices included in this enumeration, there are 1,052 in private patronage, and 1,253 in public patronage, the latter of which are, in the first instance, the preferable objects of assistance from the funds, which we propose to render available to the purposes of augmentation; and those funds will be very far from adequate to the improvement even of this class of pre

ferments.

We think it necessary here to remark, that in stating the sum which would be required to augment all benefices of a certain population and income, according to a supposed scale, we have chiefly in view the propriety of laying before your Majesty some facts, which may serve to illustrate, though by no means to give a complete view of, the wants of the parochial clergy: and we are far from intending that an inference should be drawn from this statement, as to our opinion respecting the best mode of distributing the sum, whatever it may be, which will be derived from the adoption of the propositions which we are about to offer.

The question as to the general prínciples of distribution requires the most serious consideration, and much additional inquiry; and we must reserve, for the present, any distinct recommendation to your Majesty.

The most prominent, however, of those defects, which cripple the energies of the Established Church, and circumscribe its usefulness, is the want of churches and ministers in the large towns and populous districts of the kingdom. The growth of the population has been so rapid, as to outrun the means possessed by the establishment, of meeting its spiritual wants: and the result has been, that a vast proportion of the people are left destitute of the opportunities of public worship and Christian instruction, even when every allowance is made for the exertions of those religious bodies which are not in connexion with the Established Church.

It is not necessary, in this Report, to enter into all the details, by which the truth of this assertion might be proved. It will be sufficient to state the following facts as examples. Looking to those parishes only, which contain each a population exceeding 10,000, we find that in London and its suburbs, including the parishes on either bank of the Thames, there are four parishes or districts, each having a population exceeding 20,000, and containing aggregate of 166,000 persons, with church-room for 8,200, (not quite one-twentieth of the whole;) and only eleven clergymen.

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There are twenty one others, the aggregate population of which is 739,000, while the church-room is for 66,155, (not one-tenth of the whole;) and only forty-five clergymen. There are nine others, with an aggregate population of 232,000, and church-room for 27,327, (not one-eighth of the whole;) and only nineteen clergymen.

The entire population of these thirty-four parishes amounts to 1,137,000, while there is church-room only for 101,682. Supposing that church-room is required for one-third, there ought to be sittings for 379,000 persons. There is therefore a deficiency of 277,318 sittings: or if we allow 25,000 for the number of sittings in proprietary chapels, the deficiency will be 252,318.

Allowing one church for a population of 3,000, there would be required, in these parishes, 379 churches; whereas there are in fact only 69, or, if proprietary chapels be added, about 100, leaving a deficiency of 279; while there are only 139 clergymen, in a population exceeding a million.

In the diocese of Chester, there are thirty-eight parishes or districts, in Lancashire, each with a population exceeding 10,000, containing an aggregate of 816,000 souls, with churchroom for 97,700, or about one-eighth; the proportions varying in the different parishes from one-sixth to one-twenty-third.

In the diocese of York, there are twenty parishes or districts, each with a population exceeding 10,000, and with an aggregate of 402,000, while the church accommodation is for 48,000; the proportions varying from one-sixth to one-thirtieth.

In the diocese of Lichfield and Coventry, there are sixteen parishes or districts, each having a population above 10,000, the aggregate being 235,000, with church-room for about 29,000; the proportions varying from one-sixth to one-fourteenth.

But a comparison between the amount of population, and that of church-room, will not furnish, by itself, an accurate view of the provision which is made for the spiritual wants of the people; because many of the chapels, which contribute to swell the amount of churchroom, have no particular districts assigned to them; and we consider the assignment of a district to each church or chapel, to be necessary to the ends of pastoral instruction, and to carrying into full effect the parochial economy of the Established Church.

The evils, which flow from this deficiency in the means of religious instruction and pastoral superintendence, greatly outweigh all other inconveniences, resulting from any defects or anomalies in our Ecclesiastical institutions; and it unfortunately happens, that while these evils are the most urgent of all, and most require the application of an effectual remedy, they are precisely those for which a remedy can be least easily found.

The resources which the Established Church possesses, and which can properly be made available to that purpose, in whatever way they may be husbanded or distributed, are evidently quite inadeqate to the exigency of the case; and all that we can hope to do is, gradually to diminish the intensity of the evil.

Much indeed has already been done towards this end, partly by the application of the first

fruits and tenths, granted by Queen Anne for the augmentation of small benefices; partly by the aid of liberal Parliamentary grants for the same purpose; and partly by the exertions of individual beneficence. The sums of money, voted by Parliament, and administered by the Commissioners for building and promoting the building of additional churches and chapels, have been met by a large amount of subscriptions and parochial contributions, in the more populous parts of the country; and the result is, that there have been erected 212 additional churches and chapels, and that sittings have been thus provided for 283,556 persons, of which 155,933 are free and unappropriated.

The incorporated Society for promoting the enlargment, building, and repairing of churches and chapels, by the expenditure of 196,7701. raised entirely by private subscription, and expended principally in the enlargement of churches and chapels previously existing, has occasioned the outlay of at least 900,0007. on the part of those who have received assistance from it; and additional sittings in churches have been provided for 307,314 persons, of which 222,248 are free and unappropriated. In addition to these efforts, many churches have been built and endowed by pious and liberal individuals. Upon the whole we may state, that within the last twenty years additional church-room has been secured, for at least 600,000 persons, and some hundreds of additional clergymen have been stationed in populous districts, which were before destitute of the advantages of pastoral care and instruction. But all that has been hitherto done, in this way, falls very far short of the necessity of the case.

We have entered upon the inquiry which relates to cathedral and collegiate churches, under a strong impression, that if the endowments of those bodies should appear to be larger than is requisite for the purposes of their institution, and for maintaining them in such a state of efficiency and respectability as may enable them fully to carry those purposes into effect, the surplus of those endowments, whatever it may be, ought to be made available for the augmentation of poor benefices containing a large population, and to the great object of adding to the number of the parochial clergy.

But whatever resources may be obtained by carrying into effect the measures which we are prepared to recommend, it should be borne in mind that, as the operation of those measures must of necessity be gradual, so also must be the additions which will result from them to our existing means. We are therefore desirous of not appearing to encourage any expectation of a large immediate accession to the funds, which are now available to the augmentation of poor benefices, and the creation of new ones. It is, however, to be hoped, that the sacrifices which will be required from the cathedral and collegiate churches of the country, will have the effect of stimulating individual benevolence, to contribute towards the accomplishment of these most important ends.

Having made particular inquiries concerning the constitution of these several foundations, the establishments maintained in each, the revenues of the corporations, and of their individual members, and the disposition of their corporate funds, we are now prepared to recommend such measures as will, in our opinion, leave a sufficient provision for the proper performance of the services of the churches, for the continual reparation and maintenance of the fabrics, and for the other objects contemplated by the founders, and at the same time allow the application of a considerable portion of their revenues, to the purpose of making additional provision for the cure of souls, in parishes where such assistance is most required.

We find a material variety, both in the constitution of these establishments, and in the amount and disposition of their respective revenues. For the purposes of this report, it will be convenient to divide the cathedral chapters into two classes, between which there exists a marked line of distinction:

First, the deans and chapters of the old foundation.

Secondly, those of the new foundation.

The former term comprehends all those cathedral establishments which were founded at different periods before the reign of King Henry the Eighth; the latter, those which were founded by letters patent from the Crown, confirmed by Parliament, about the time of the reformation. The establishments of the old foundation, though some of them possess codes of statutes, granted at different periods, yet appear to be governed principally by the domestic enactments of the bodies themselves, and by customs, the origin of which cannot always be discovered. Those of the new foundation are, for the most part, governed by statutes, which were granted by the Crown, and subsequently ratified by Parliament. In the enactments of these statutes there is a great similarity, and frequently an identity.

The principal distinction between the two foundations, which bear upon the subject of the present Report, are these. The old comprise, not only the dean and canons residentiary, who compose the chapters of each, but various other prebendaries, who are not required to keep any residence at the cathedral, nor to perform any other duty, except that of preaching one or two sermons in each year. The dean, and each of the residentiaries, has, besides a separate endowment and a small fixed stipend, a share of that portion of the corporate revenues which remains after the payment of those stipends and other general expenses. Of this portion which is called dividend, the dean receives no larger share than any other member of the chapter; except at Lichfield, where a different scale of division is prescribed by a local act of Parliament. Those prebendaries, who are not residentiaries, have no share of the corporate revenues, except, in some cases, small fixed payments, but in most instances possess each a separate endowment.

In the chapters of the new foundation, on the contrary, there are no prebendaries, besides the residentiaries; and except at Durham and Ely, they have no separate estates. The dean, independently of statutable allowances upon a materially larger scale than those of the prebendaries, receives, on the division of fines, a two-fold share.

The cathedral and collegiate churches of the dioceses in the principality of Wales are, in some respects, so peculiarly circumstanced, as to require that they should be treated in a somewhat different manner from the other cathedral and collegiate churches, although without departing from the main principles laid down in this Report.

The churches to which the measures now about to be recommended will apply, are:Of the old foundation - the cathedrals of York, London, Chichester, Exeter, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, Salisbury, and Wells; and St. George's Chapel at Windsor.

Of the new-the cathedrals of Canterbury, Durham, Winchester, Bristol, Carlisle, Chester, Ely, Gloucester, Norwich, Oxford, Peterborough, Rochester, and Worcester; and the collegiate church of Westminster.

In all these churches, the daily performance of the choral service is maintained out of the revenues of the dean and chapter; who also, in most instances, sustain and repair the fabric: and many of these bodies have of late years devoted very large sums, out of those revenues, to the reparation and improvement of the buildings intrusted to their care.

The advantages resulting to the interests of religion, from the existence of this species of preferment, when conferred on clergymen distinguished for professional merit, as well as the benefits accruing to the cities in which the cathedrals are situate, from the residence of such a description of clergy, are too obvious to require illustration. But we are of opinion, that the most important objects of these institutions may be secured and continued, consistently with a reduction of the present cathedral preferments, and the appropriation of a considerable portion of the revenues towards making a better provision for the cure of souls. With these views we humbly recommend, that no new appointments shall, in future, be made to any of the stalls of the old foundation, which are not residentiary: with the exception of some, the income of which is little more than nominal, and which perhaps it may be deemed expedient to retain, as marks of distinction to be bestowed on deserving clergymen. As these stalls shall respectively become vacant, the proceeds of the estates or tithes, with which they are endowed, may conveniently be received by the treasurer of Queen Anne's bounty, and dealt with according to the provisions of the act passed in the last session, until it shall have been determined what final arrangement shall be made.

*

The number of prebends, affected by this recommendation, is above 360. In a few cases, the income is regulated by some local custom or statute: but the greater part are endowed with a separate property under lease, either for twenty-one years, or (as more frequently happens) for three lives.

We also recommend, that the proceeds of estates with which the deans and residentiaries of the old foundation, and those of Durham and Ely, are endowed, separate from the corporate property of the chapters, should, as vacancies occur, be received and dealt with, in the same manner as is proposed with regard to the property attached to the prebends last mentioned. We further recommend, that the chapter, in each of the churches enumerated, both of the old and new foundation, should consist hereafter of a dean and four canons, the establishment at present actually existing in the cathedrals of York, Chichester, and Carlisle; that one, at least, of these canonries, where they may be in the patronage of the Bishop, should be made available towards a better provision for the office of archdeacon; that until the existing chapter shall be reduced to the proposed number, no new election nor appointments take place; and that the income, resulting from stipends, dividends, or other sources, which would have been payable to each residentiary exceeding the number of four, should, as the stalls become vacant, be paid by the chapter clerk to the treasurer of Queen Anne's bounty, as in the case of the separate estates.

We are of opinion, that an exception to this rule might with propriety be made in the case of Chester, where the income of each of the six prebendaries does not exceed 1251., on an average of the last seven years. We recommend that the income of two prebendal stalls, as they become vacant, should go to increase that of the dean and the other four canons, which will even then be very small, in reference to their station, and the duties required of them. In the cathedrals of York and Lichfield, if the dignitaries be divested of all separate endowments, the corporate property will not be adequate to the proper support of a dean and four canons. We recommend, therefore, that in these two cases part of the separate endowments should be added to the general funds of the respective corporations.

In the cathedrals of St. Paul and of Lincoln the present number of canons residentiary is only three; out of whose revenues we recommend, that provision be made for the archdeacons of the dioceses of London and Lincoln respectively; one of whom, in each of those dioceses, should have a place in the chapter, which will then consist of a dean and four canons.

* 5 & 6 W. IV. c. 30, intituled "An Act for protecting the Revenues of vacant Ecclesiastical dignities, prebends, canonries, and benefices without cure of souls, and for preventing the lapse thereof during the pending inquiries respecting the state of the Established Church in England and Wales." 3 K

VOL. IX.-April, 1836.

The chapter of Christchurch being connected, not only with the duties of the cathedral, but also with the government of the largest college in the University of Oxford, and two of the stalls being annexed, by Act of Parliament, to the Regius professorships of Divinity and Hebrew, it may perhaps be advisable that the number of canons should be six; that one of the stalls should be annexed to the Lady Margaret's professorship of Divinity, which is at present endowed with one of the stalls at Worcester; and that this latter stall should be separated from the professorship, and revert to your Majesty's patronage.

With respect to some of the better endowed canonries, which will remain in four or five of the cathedrals, we are of opinion that they may be advantageously connected with the parochial charge of populous districts. The method of effecting this we reserve for our future consideration; it being necessary to examine carefully the case of each cathedral, with reference to its revenues and local circumstances.

The dean and canons of Durham, when divested of their separate estates, will still be in the receipt of incomes considerably larger than those of any other cathedral body and we are of opinion that a portion of their revenues may properly be applied towards the important object of maintaining, in a state of respectability and efficiency, the University of Durham; for the establishment of which the present dean and chapter have already made a considerable

sacrifice.

In the cathedrals of Lincoln, Lichfield, Exeter, and Salisbury, there are prebends not residentiary, the whole or part of the revenues of which belong to the Bishops of the respective dioceses, and, in the account presented to your Majesty in our first Report, have been reckoned as part of the episcopal revenues. We think it advisable that these endowments should be permanently annexed to the respective sees.

We are of opinion, that the term of residence of each dean, hereafter to be appointed, should be nine months, and of each canon three months. It is obvious that it will become necessary to make some alterations, in those statutes of the respective churches, by which the turns and periods of residence are regulated.

At present, as we have before stated, the deans of all the cathedrals upon the old foundation, except Lichfield, receive shares of the corporate funds equal only to those of the canons; but from the superior value of their separate endowments, the aggregate of their emoluments considerably exceeds that of any other member of the chapter. As it is now proposed, that these separate endowments shall be disunited from the deaneries, we recommend, that in future each of the deans of the old foundation should have, like those of the new, a share in each dividend, double that of a canon; such a difference being required by his higher rank, greater expenses, and longer residence.

By a custom, prevailing in most of the cathedrals of the old foundation, the residentiaries are elected by the chapter, from among the other prebendaries, who are in all cases appointed by the Bishop. We recommend that henceforth the appointments of the residentiaries be made directly by the Bishop, except in the case of the cathedral church of St. Paul, where we think that three canonries should be in the direct nomination of the Crown, and the fourth, which will be connected with the office of archdeacon, in the patronage of the Bishop.

If the recommendation contained in our first Report to your Majesty, for the erection of two new Sees, be adopted, the two collegiate churches of Manchester and Ripon may be made the cathedrals of those sees. At Manchester, the establishment is already so similar to that proposed for the cathedrals of the new foundation, that little change will be required, besides the alteration of titles, from warden and fellows, to dean and canons.

At Ripon, there are a dean, a sub-dean, and six other prebendaries; but the dean alone appears to have kept any regular residence. The revenues of this church are of so small amount, that it may perhaps be expedient to make an arrangement, with respect to the prebends, different from that which is recommended for the other cathedrals.

The dean of Windsor receives no larger share, in the division of corporate revenues, than a canon; but his income is increased by the deanery of the collegiate church of Wolverhampton, a prebend in the same church, and the living of Haseley, in the diocese of Oxford, all of which are annexed to his deanery. We recommend, that upon the first vacancy, the living of Haseley should be severed from the deanery; and that the dean should in future receive a a double share of dividend, as in the other chapters. The deanery and prebend of Wolverhampton will, according to the principles of this Report, be separated from the deanery of Windsor after the present incumbency; and we are of opinion that their endowments cannot be better applied, than towards increasing the very slender provision, which now exists, for the pastoral care of that populous district.

The small endowments belonging to the collegiate establishments of Heytesbury and Middleham should, we think, be applied to the purpose of providing for the parochial clergy, in the places with which those establishments are connected.

The circumstances of the collegiate church of Southwell differ essentially from those of any other which has come under our consideration; the choral service is there performed twice daily there is no dean; but there are sixteen prebendaries, each of whom is resident but three months in a cycle of four years. All of these, besides their share of the corporate funds, have separate estates, which would appear, from the reserved rents, to differ considerably in value. The gross average of the corporate revenue is about 2,2004., from which an establish

ment is maintained, as large as that of some cathedrals. The surplus income is divided among the four residentiaries of the year. Each has received about 2001. on account of stipend and dividend. We think that this chapter deserves separate consideration, according to its own peculiar circumstances; but our present opinion is, that the archdeacon of Nottingham should be the head of the church, and rector of the parish, with one assistant minister that the vicarage should be better endowed; that there should be two vicars choral; and that the separate estates should be dealt with as in the case of the cathedrals on the old foundation.

We have taken into our consideration the important nature of the duties belonging to the office of archdeacon, and the inadequacy of the provision at present made for the great majority of these officers, the number of whom we have proposed to increase, and upon whom additional labour will be imposed by the regulations which we are prepared to recommend. Their remuneration arises principally from small payments, made to them at their visitations, under the name of procurations, the amount of which is the same as it was several centuries ago. The total of their emoluments is, in most cases, not adequate to defray the necessary expenses even of their ordinary visitations, still less those of their parochial circuits, the regular performance of which is the most essential of their duties. We have already recommended, that in each cathedral, where such an arrangement is practicable, one at least of the stalls should be applied to the purpose of making a better provision for this important office. An instance of such an arrangement already exists in the cathedral of Rochester.

As it is desirable that dignities in cathedral and collegiate churches should be bestowed upon those only whose qualifications have been proved by a certain period of service in the ministry of the church, we further recommend, that no person be hereafter capable of receiving the appointment of dean, archdeacon, or canon, until he shall have been six years complete in priest's orders.

Our attention has been drawn to the condition of those ministers in the cathedral and collegiate churches who are known by the names of minor canons, vicars choral, priest vicars, or chaplains. The service is performed by them, or some of them, in all these churches twice, and in some three times a day, throughout the year. The number in St. Paul's cathedral is twelve; in others, there are eight, six, four; and in the collegiate church of Manchester, two. The emoluments are almost as various as the numbers. At Durham, some of the minor canons receive as much as 1701, a year; in some churches they have not more than 30.; but the majority receive from 50l. to 70l. In consequence of the smallness of their salaries in almost all the cathedrals, we find a prevalent custom of giving to these ministers chapter livings, which they hold together with their places in the cathedral. We are of opinion that the interests, both of the cathedrals and of the parishes, would be consulted by retaining only so many of these ministers as are sufficient for the service of the cathedrals, and giving them such salaries as may preclude the necessity of their holding benefices together with their offices in the cathedral.

In most of the cathedrals of the old foundation, these subordinate ministers form a distinct corporation, subsist upon the separate funds thereto belonging, and exert the same power of leasing their property as other ecclesiastical bodies. The consequent fluctuation and uncertainty of income, arising from fines received upon renewal of leases in different years, which is found very inconvenient by the holders of larger preferment, must occasionally become a source of distress to those whose average subsistence is very slender. We are of opinion that it would be expedient to make some arrangement for placing the property of these minor corporations upon a better footing.

The alterations which we have proposed, with respect both to the arrangement of dioceses, and the constitution of deans and chapters, appear to us to render it expedient that a change should be made in the exercise of the patronage which is now vested in the last-mentioned bodies. We recommend that such regulations should be adopted as may leave it in the power of deans and chapters, under certain restrictions, to give preferment to the members of their own body, and to the minor canons, who may reasonably look to them for reward after a certain period of service; and that where the presentation to any benefice in their gift is not required for these purposes, it should pass, in some cases to the Crown, and in others to the Bishop of the diocese in which either the cathedral or the benefice may be respectively situate. This recommendation is not to be regarded as extending to the chapter of Christchurch, and must, of course, be considered as subject to modification in particular cases.

We likewise recommend that, in general, the livings, the patronage of which belongs to the prebends which are to cease, and those in the gift of the deans and residentiaries, in right of their separate estates, shall, after the present incumbencies, fall to the presentation of the respective Bishops.

As the last remaining point connected with deans and chapters, we feel it right to take some notice of the expenditure of their corporate revenues, arising from rentals and other regular sources. We have already noticed the great liberality of those bodies in bestowing large sums on the reparation and embellishment of their churches, to the diminution of their own incomes. The ordinary expenditure appears to us, in general, economical and moderate, and such as is required for the due performance of choral service, the care and maintenance of the fabric, and the decent propriety of a cathedral establishment. There is, however, a con