308

sioners ; apprehending that the mode adopted, when enclosuresare made, is not applicable to lands now in tillage, and destituteof commons.

“ He does not see that the abolition of tithes, on the enclosuresof commons, (in futnro ,) is taken into consideration.

“ He wishes that some provision might be made for the reco-very of tithes which are now due by law, though the right tothem may not, for various reasons, have yet been prosecuted.

“ He is desirous that the following points may be ascertained,before the measure is submitted to parliament: —

“ 1st, What number of parishes in the kingdom are now en-tirely exempted from the tithe of corn and hay ?

“ 2d, In what number of parishes, subject to the afore-men-tioned tithes, are the tithes in the possession of the parochialclergy ?

“ 3d, In what number of parishes, subject to the afore-men-tioned tithes, are the tithes in the possession of spiritual or laycorporations ?”

I heard no more of this matter. If ever it is resumed, it willbe proper to obtain accurate answers to the three questions hereproposed, that it may appear how small a part of the grievance oftithes is attributable to the parochial clergy. In the answer tothe petitions which were exhibited to parliament and Cromwell,for the taking away of tithes in 1652, it is said — “ There are inEngland and Wales 9,725 parishes ; and, though the one half ofthese rectories w r ere not appropriated as to the number, yet cer-tainly as to the yearly values, the ministers at this day have notone half of the profits of the tithes of corn and grain.”