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income of the Crown for ever. It is true, it was the more easily borne, because the rates were still at the old value, and the Clergy had been often threatened with a new valuation, in which the rates should be rigorously set to their full extent. The Tenths amounted to about 11,000l. a year; and the First Fruits, which were more casual, rose one year with another to 5,000l. so the whole amounted to between 16,000l. and 17,000l. a year. This was not brought into the treasury as the other branches of the revenue; but the Bishops who had been the Pope's collectors, were now the King's, so persons in favour obtained assignations on them for life or for a term of years: this had never been applied to any good use, but was still obtained by favorites, for themselves and their friends. When I wrote the History of the Reformation I considered this matter so particularly, that I saw here was a proper fund for providing better subsistence to the poor Clergy, we having among us some hundreds of cures that have not, of certain provision, 20l. a yearand some thousands that have not 50l. I had possessed the late Queen (Mary) with this, so that she was fully resolved if ever she had lived to see peace and settlement, to have cleared this branch of the revenue of all the assignations which were upon it, and to have applied it to the augmentation of small benefices;—this is plainly insinuated in the Essay that I wrote in her Memory, some time after her death. I laid the matter before the late King (William) when there was a prospect of peace, as a proper expression both of his thankfulness to Almighty God and of his care of the Church; I hoped that this might have gained the heads of the Clergy; it might at least have put a stop to a groundless clamour raised against him,

that he was an enemy to the Clergy, which began then to have a very ill effect on all his affairs. He entertained this so well, that he ordered me to speak to his ministers about it: they all approved it; the Lord Somers and the Lord Halifax did it in a most particular manner: but the Earl of Sunderland obtained an assignation upon two dioceses, for 2,000l. a year for two lives: so nothing was to be hoped for after that. I laid this matter very fully before the present Queen in the King's time, and had spoken often of it to Lord Godolphin. Upon the Queen's message, a Bill was brought in, enabling her to alienate this branch of the revenue, and to create a Corporation by charter, to apply it to the use for which she now gave it. The Bishops were so zealous and unanimous for the Bill, that it was carried and passed into a law." [Burnet's History of his own Time.]

Cunningham, in his History of Great Britain, vol. I. Medal page 417, relates that a medal was this

year struck on

the occasion with the following inscription :

Pietas Augustæ

Primitiis et Decimis Ecclesiæ Concessis

M.DCC.IV.

struck on occasion of the Queen's grant.

from

The following extract is taken from Bishop Ken- Extract nett's case of Impropriations and of the Augmentation Bishop of Vicarages, &c. respecting the grant of the First case of imFruits and Tenths:

Kennett's

propriations as to the

grant by

"To make this act of royal bounty the more ac- the Queen. ceptable by the joyful season of it, on Monday, 7th February, (1703-4,) celebrated on account of her Majesty's auspicious birth, Mr. Secretary Hedges acquainted the House of Commons that he was commanded by

The
Queen's

Messag

to the

House of
Commons.

Address of the House Commons.

her Majesty to deliver a Message in writing signed by her Majesty, and he presented the same to the House, and Mr. Speaker read the same, which is as followeth:

'ANNE R.

'Her Majesty having taken into her serious consideration the mean and insufficient maintenance belonging to the Clergy in divers parts of this kingdom, to give them some ease, hath been pleased to remit the arrears of the Tenths of the poor Clergy, and, for augmentation of their maintenance, her Majesty is pleased to declare that she will make a grant of her whole revenue arising out of First Fruits and Tenths, as far as it now is or shall become free from incumbrances, to be applied to this purpose ;-and if the House of Commons can find any proper method by which her Majesty's good intentions to the poor Clergy may be made more effectual, it will be a great advantage to the public, and very acceptable to her Majesty.'

"Upon reading this Message it was immediately Resolved, nemine contradicente, that An humble

Address be presented to her Majesty expressing the most humble and hearty thanks of this House for her Majesty's most gracious Message, and the great and pious concern her Majesty has for the encreasing the maintenance of the poor Clergy out of her own revenue; and for her Majesty's goodness in remitting the arrears of Tenths to those who are poor: and withal to assure her Majesty that this House will, according to her

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Majesty's desire, do their utmost to make her Majesty's charitable intentions most effectual.' "When the Commons attended the Queen with this Address, on February 11th, her Majesty was pleased to declare her royal satisfaction in these words: Gentlemen, I am very glad to find my Message has The been so acceptable to you. I hope you will effect- reply. ually improve it to the advantage of the Church by law established, for which nobody can have a more true and real concern than myself.' [Kennett, 357 et seq.]

Queen's

Addresses

The Clergy of the two Provinces afterwards pre- presented sented Addresses to her Majesty on the occasion, to by the which most gracious answers were given.

Clergy.

Act 2 and

for esta

ration of

nors of her

ty. (See

The Act of Parliament to carry into effect the pious 3 Anne, intentions of her Majesty Queen Anne, [which is set blishing forth in the Appendix,] passed in Session 2 and 3 of her the Corporeign, chap. 11, intituled, "An Act for making more the Govereffectual her Majesty's gracious intentions for the aug- royalBounmentation of the maintenance of the poor Clergy, by Appendix.) enabling her Majesty to grant in perpetuity the revenues of the First Fruits and Tenths; and also for enabling any other persons to make grants for the same purpose;" whereby her Majesty was empowered to vest in trustees by her letters patent all the revenues of First Fruits and Tenths of all dignities, offices, benefices, and promotions spiritual whatever, to be applied and disposed of, to and for the purposes therein mentioned. And her Majesty's letters patent, bearing date the 3d day of November, in the 3d year of her reign [also set forth in the Appendix] were accordingly granted; whereby the distinguished persons therein named, who then filled the highest offices in the Church and State,

Letters pa

tent, 3d

Nov. 3d

Anne. (See

appendix.)

appointed.

To have a

common

seal, &c.

manage,

&c. the

Governors and the persons who thereafter should fill the same offices for the time being, were constituted a body politic and corporate of themselves in deed and in name, by the name of "the Governors of the Bounty of Queen Anne, for the augmentation of the maintenance of the poor Clergy;" and by the same name they and their successors were thereby appointed to have perpetual succession, and to use a common seal, and the powers usually given to corporations were thereby granted to them; and the said Governors and their sucTo receive, cessors were by the said letters patent directed to receive, manage, govern, apply, and dispose of the royal bounty for bounty, and other gifts or benevolences which should or might thereafter be given or bequeathed to the said Corporation, where the donors thereof should not particularly direct the application thereof, to and for the increase of the maintenance of such parsons, vicars, curates, and ministers officiating in any Church or chapel within the kingdom of England, dominion of Wales, or town of Berwick upon Tweed, where the liturgy and rites of the Church of England, as by law established, were and should be used and observed, for whom a maintenance was not already sufficiently provided.

royal

the purposes specified.

The Proceedings of the Governors on the Establishment of the Corporation.

Having shewn in what manner the revenue of First Fruits and Tenths became vested in the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, it is in the next place intended

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