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Anecdotes of the life of Richard Watson, bishop of Landaff : written by himself at different intervals, and revised in 1814 / published by his son, Richard Watson
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very least stipend annexed to any benefice, and, such sum beingannexed, service twice every Sunday should be required in all.Benefices above an hundred a-year should remain, I think, asthey are ; unless it should be judged expedient, on a vacancy, totake the first fruits on a real valuation, constituting thereby a fundtowards augmenting benefices under an hundred to that sum.

Houses of residence for the clergy should be bought orbuilt at the public expense, or by the Governors of QueenAnnes bounty, for livings under an hundred pounds a-year.

The number of livings under an hundred a-year, their re-spective values, and the state of their parsonage-houses, shouldbe accurately ascertained, and laid before parliament, in orderthat the additional public burden attending the giving a decentmaintenance to the clergy might be known : it would, I am per-suaded, whatever its magnitude might be, meet with no oppo-sition from the judicious part of the community. The bishopswould be able to make, if required, this return to parliament bymeans of their officers.

Livings held in commendam, or annexed without commendamto bishoprics, to headships and professorships in the Universities,to public schools, See. should be exempted from the operationof this law, as the residence of their possessors cannot be ex-pected.

The greatest part of the benefices under an hundred poundsa-year are in the patronage of Lay Impropriators. Many ofthese Impropriators would, I doubt not, be moved by a sense ofpiety, and a regard for public safety, to contribute largely to-wards rendering the income of each place of worship in theirpatronage not less than the sum I have mentioned.