and improvement. twenty years.

In certain cases leases may be granted for

By 5 & 6 V. c. 108, ecclesiastical corporations, both aggregate and sole, with some exceptions, may grant leases for long terms of

years.

By 1 & 2 V. c. 106, no spiritual person shall farm above eighty acres without consent of the bishop, and then not beyond seven years, under a penalty of 40s. per acre. Neither can he engage in trade to buy and sell for profit or gain, but this does not extend to keeping schools or teaching; nor in respect to buying or selling in course of such educational employment; or to selling anything really bought for the use of the family; or to being manager of any benefit, life, or insurance society; or to dealing in cattle for the use of his own lands. Illegal trading subjects to suspension, and for a third offence to deprivation.

Though a clergyman is liable to penalties for trading, his contracts are valid, and he is subject to the bankrupt laws. He may be a member of a banking co-partnership, but cannot, if beneficed, or doing ecclesiastical duty, be a director, 4 V. c. 14.

It has been held that any person may prosecute a clergyman for neglect of clerical duty; but the Church Discipline Act, 3 & 4 V. c. 86, provides that in any case of a clerk in holy orders being charged with an offence against the ecclesiastical laws, or against whom there may exist scandal or evil report, the bishop of the diocese may, on the application of any party, or if he think it on his own mere motion, issue a commission consisting of five persons, of whom one shall be his vicar-general, an archdeacon, or rural dean, to inquire into the grounds of such charge or report. Fourteen days' notice previous to the issue of the commission must be given to the clergyınan accused, and the charge against him stated.

Clergymen are in general liable to all public charges imposed by parliament, unless specially exempted; as in certain cases from the duty on horses. They are liable to the poor rate for their tithe and glebe; and if not compellable to take parish apprentices, they are chargeable towards putting them out.

The clergy are divided into various ranks and degrees; as archbishops, bishops, deans, canons, and prebendaries; archdeacons, rectors, vicars, curates, and parish clerks when in orders.

An archbishop is the chief of the clergy in a whole province, and has the inspection of the bishops of that province, as well as the inferior clergy, and may deprive them on proper cause.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is styled the metropolitan and primate of all England, and enjoys by custom the privilege to crown the kings and queens of the realm. He has also the power to grant dispensations in any case; to grant special licenses to marry at any time or place; and to exercise the right of conferring all the degrees which are taken in the universities; but in

this case the graduates of the universities, by various acts of parliament, and other regulations, are entitled to many privileges not extended to a degree of the primate or a Lambeth degree.

A bishop has power and authority, besides his sacred functions, to inspect the manners of the people and clergy, and to reform them by ecclesiastical censure; for which purpose he has courts under him which are holden by his chancellor. It is also the business of the bishop to ordain, admit, and institute priests; to grant licenses for marriage, consecrate churches, and confirm, suspend, or excommunicate. Archbishops and bishops are nominally elected by the dean and chapter, but virtually appointed by a congé délire of the crown.

A bishop may resign his see, and stipulate for the acceptance of a pension and balance on retirement during his lifetime. So under 19 & 20 V. c. 115, when the archbishops of Canterbury and York signified to the crown that they had canonically accepted the resignation of the bishops of London and Durham, their sees were declared vacant, the retiring bishops receiving pensions, commencing from the day of their resignation. By 32 & 33 V. c. 111, provision is made for the relief of archbishops and bishops, when incapacitated by age or other infirmity for the due performance of their episcopal duties. By s. 2, on a representation being made to Her Majesty, that any archbishop or bishop in England is desirous of resigning, by reason that he is incapacitated by age or some mental or permanent physical infirmity from the due performance of his duties, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, if satisfied of such incapacity, and that such archbishop or bishop has canonically resigned, by order in Council to declare such preferment to be vacant, and the vacancy to be filled up in all respects as if such archbishop or bishop were dead. Provision is then made by the Act as to the future residences and proportional part of the incomes of the retiring prelates.

A dean and chapter are the council of the bishop, to assist him with their advice in affairs of religion. The chapters consisting of canons or prebendaries, are sometimes appointed by the sovereign, sometimes by the bishop, and sometimes elected by each other. Deaneries and prebends may become void, like a bishopric, by death, deprivation, or resignation.

An archdeacon has an ecclesiastical jurisdiction, subordinate to the bishop, through the whole of his diocese, or some part of it. All archdeacons have equal jurisdiction.

The most numerous class of ecclesiastical persons are parsons and vicars of churches. A parson is one that has full possession of all the rights of a parochial church: he is sometimes called rector or governor of the church. During his life, he has in himself the freehold of the parsonage, the glebe, the tithes, and other dues.

The distinction between a parson and a vicar is this: the parson

has usually the sole right to all ecclesiastical dues in his parish; bat the vicar has generally an appropriator over him, entitled to the best part of the profits, to whom he is, in effect, perpetual curate, with a fixed stipend. A vicar is a name that was unknown till the reign of Henry III., before which the rector provided a curate, and maintained him on an arbitrary stipend.

The method of becoming a parson or a vicar is much the same; holy orders, presentation, institution, and induction, are necessary to both. No person is eligible to any benefice unless he has first been ordained a priest, and then he is called a clerk in orders. No person can be admitted a deacon in England or Ireland till he has attained the age of twenty-three complete, nor be admitted a priest before the complete age of twenty-four. While a man is enly a deacon he can quit his profession for any other; but when ence ordained a priest he cannot secede from holy orders, 1 Rob. 332 None can administer the sacraments but a priest; nor can a deacon preach without first being heard by the bishop.

Before admission to a benefice, a declaration of conformity to the liturgy must be made, and the party must also subscribe before the ordinary, and publicly read in the church of the benefice, the thirty-nine Articles, with a declaration of his assent thereto, in two months after the possession of the benefice, otherwise he may be deprived, 13 Eliz. and 23 G. 2, c. 28.

The bishop may refuse institution to a clerk, on the ground of heresy, gross immorality, or insufficiency in point of learning.

Induction is performed by mandate from the bishop, and consists in giving the clerk corporal possession of the church; as by holding the ring of the door, or tolling a bell, which is meant to give the parishioners notice to whom the tithes and dues are to be paid.

Curates are the lowest degree in the church, being in the same state that a vicar was formerly, an officiating temporary minister, instead of an incumbent entitled to the tithes of the parish. By 1 & 2 V. c. 106, s. 85, where an incumbent does not duly reside, the bishop is empowered to grant a certain fixed salary to the curate, out of the proceeds of the benefice; such salary shall in no case be less than £80 per annum, or the annual value of the benefice if the gross value does not amount to £80, and not less than £100 per annum, or the whole value if the value shall not exceed £100, in any parish where the population shall amount to or exceed 300 persons, and so on in proportion.

By 28 & 29 V. c. 68, the Ecclesiastical Commissioners are enabled to grant superannuation allowances to officers, clerks, and other persons on the permanent establishment of the commission who have served ten years and under eleven years, an annual allowance of ten-sixtieths of the annual salary and emoluments. By s. 2, gratuities may be granted when officials are not entitled

by length of service. Superannuation not to be granted to persons under 60, except upon medical certificate of permanent incapacity. An act of 1870, the 33 & 34 V. c. 39, facilitates the transfer of ecclesiastical patronage in certain cases, provided it appears that such transfer, in the opinion of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, will better provide for the cure of souls in the parish or district.

II. PLURALITIES, RESIDENCE, AND DIGNITIES.

In respect of plurality and residence, the 1 & 2 V. c. 106, provided that not more than two preferments should be accepted, nor the holder of one benefice accept another, unless within ten miles of each other; nor if the population of one such benefice is more than 3000, or their joint yearly value exceed £1000. But if the yearly value of one benefice be less than £150, and the population does not exceed 2000, they may be held jointly, after statement of reasons by the bishop, who may require residence on the larger parish for nine months in the year. A leave or dispensation to hold two benefices must be obtained from the Archbishop of Canterbury, after the bishop has certified. Each incumbent, not having a license or certificate, unless he be resident on another benefice, when such absence shall exceed three months, but not six months, to forfeit one-third part of the annual value of the benefice from which he absents himself; if such absence exceeds six, but not eight months, one-half part of such annual value to be forfeited; exceeding eight months, two-third parts, or if absent a whole year, three-fourth parts of the annual value forfeited.

The provisions of this act are amended by 13 & 14 V. c. 98, enacting that no spiritual person shall hold together any two benefices, except in the case of two benefices the churches of which are within three miles of one another by the nearest road, and the annual value of one of which does not exceed £100. By s. 2. notwithstanding any provision in 1 & 2 V., it is lawful to hold two benefices according to the provision just mentioned of 13 & 14 V., whatever may be the yearly value of such two benefices jointly, but not to extend to repeal any provisions of the 1 & 2 V. in respect of the amount of population or license of dispensation. Term "benefice" explained to mean any benefice with cure of souls. Annual value of benefice to be estimated clear of deductions for taxes, rates, tenths, dues, and permanent charges, but not stipend of curate. Deans of cathedrals hereafter appointed, not to hold with deanery the office of head of any college or ball in either of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge, or be provost, warden, or master of any public school. Nor are the heads of colleges, &c., to accept any cathedral preferment or benefice, except such form part of the permanent endowment of the office. Acceptation of any benefice contrary to the act renders void any previous pre

cases.

sentation. Provisions by s. 8 for the union of benefices in certain Act not to affect preferments to which persons have been already admitted. Persons already holding one benefice may hold an additional one, if appointed for next presentation previously to Dec. 23, 1837. Provision is also made for holding benefices with honorary canonries under 4 and 5 V. c. 39.

A spiritual person is not allowed to serve more than two benefxes in one day.

Where there is no parsonage-house, or it is in such a state as to be incapable of being repaired, so as to be fit for the residence of an incumbent, any house within three miles of the church, or two miles, if in a town, may be licensed, and considered the legal residence. By 2 & 3 V. c. 30, in benefices where there are more than one spiritual person entitled to the cure of souls, the bishop may order an apportionment of the duties, if no cause is shown by the churchWardens and inhabitants to the contrary.

In various districts are lecturers and preachers in the holy orders of deacon or priest, elected or otherwise appointed to preach lectures or sermons only, without the performance of other clerical duty; these, by the 7 & 8 V. c. 59, may be licensed by the bishop, with the consent of the incumbent, to perform the duties of assistant curates; such appointments do not except incumbents from providing curates in cases where they are now liable. Parish derks, in holy orders, may in like manner be licensed to do the duty of an assistant curate.

The 23 & 24 V. c. 142, makes better provision for the union of benefices in cities, towns, and boroughs. Contiguous benefices, as defined by 18 & 19 V. c. 120, may be united without regard to aggregate population or yearly value. Bishop of London or of Winchester empowered to issue a commission addressed to five persons, to make a report of a union project within six months, unless prolonged. Three of the commissioners to be beneficed skrgymen, and two lay members of the Church of England. Not to receive any salary or payment. A scheme of union to be submitted to the churchwardens and vestry, who may notify their assent or objection, s. 8. In the case of endowed lectureships, bishops may prepare a scheme as to the lectures customarily preached in the churches to be pulled down. Sect. 28 relates to the appropriation of seats in churches of united parishes. Property sold to vest in Ecclesiastical Commissioners, s. 29.

SALE AND AUGMEntation of BenEFICES.-By 26 & 27 V. c. 120, the advowson of certain benefices (the presentation to which is in the lord chancellor) is made saleable, and the purchase-money or consideration made applicable to the augmentation of such benefices; and certain other benefices in the gift of his lordship may be sold, and the proceeds applied to the augmentation of poor livings in his gift. Persons desirous of purchasing advowsons to offer, in writing, to the chancellor, stating terms and conditions. More offers

H