THE REPLY Of the Hamlet of Wapping, to the Answer of the Reactor to their CASE and Petition; and likewise to the CASE Of the Churchwardens of White-Chappel.  
THE Rector hath been pleased in Answer to our Case, to contradict many things which we have asserted; wherefore we think ourselves bound to vindicate our Truth: and do therefore crave leave to reply to his Answer.  
First, 
The Chapel has no such settled Fund to maintain it in repair, as is intimated in the Rector's Answer.  Whereas he alleges, That our Bill is not to enlarge our Chapel, That we have a Fund from the Burials to keep it in repair, etc. The contrary of which is manifest, since he himself claims and receives Duties for all Funerals both in Chappel-yard and Chapel, and All that's paid for every Corpse buried in the Chancel, though he contribute nothing to its repair; and though every Funeral pay to the Chapel, yet this is so far from producing a Stock or Fund, that the Chapel (notwithstanding Voluntary Contributions) is at present much in debt, and we cannot legally raise by any Tax One Penny towards either the Payment of its Debts, or keeping it in repair; and therefore unless made Parochial, it must inevitably fall, and so render the Inhabitants destitute of any Place of Public Worship; the Church of White Chapel being incapable (as is not denied by the Rector in his Case) to contain One tenth part of the Parishioners.  
Secondly, 
The Minister has no such Endowment, as is suggested.  He affirms, That our Minister hath a Competent Maintenance by Endowment, and the Gift of several houses, in all worth Six or Seven score pounds per Annum, etc. Which is so far from being his condition, that all the Endowment he hath, is but Eight pounds per Annum, being the Rent of One House; which likewise he holds by the Courtesy of the trusties: And his Dependence besides is on the Voluntary, Contributions of the People; which being most uncertain, is yet at best, not above Seventy or Seventy five pounds per Annum; for which he preaches twice every Lord's Day, reads prayers every day in the Week, and performs all other Ministerial Offices, as Visiting the Sick, etc. So that its far unlike a Lecture, and therefore not so desirable when vacant, as represented by the Rector.  
Thirdly, 
Wapping, not like the case of other Chapples of Ease.  He instanceth, That we have always paid Tithes to the Rectors of White-Chappel, as is done in all Chapels of Ease in England, and infers that there are many Hundreds of such Chapels in the Nation: And that the making Wapping a Parish will be of dangerous consequence to Impropriators, etc. But contrary to this, the Three Kingdoms, do afford (instead of Hundreds) hardly any such instance of the like nature: Viz,  

1. Where the Parish is so large, that the Mother Church cannot contain a Tenth part of its Inhabitants?  
2. Where the Inhabitants of the Chapelry cannot raise a Penny towards the repairs of the Chapel?  
3. Where the Minister hath not Endowed Maintenance, nor the allowance of a Farthing from so rich a Rectory?  
4. Where the Rector doth wholly neglect the Pastoral Care?  
5. Where the Inhabitants of the Chapetry are in propo●… much poorer than those of the Parish at large?   
And this is the true state of the Hamlet of Wapping. And as to the dangerous Consequence to Impropriators, There's a vast difference between an Impropriations, which is a Lay Fee, and a Rectory with Cure of Souls, which is an Ecclesiastical Benefice; so that this can no more affect Impropriations, than the separating Shadwell from Stepney (a neighbouring Parish) did; which by Act of Parliament, about the year 1670, was made Parochial, allowing the Vicar of Stepney but Four Nobleses per Annum, in lieu of his Tithes.  
Fourthly, 
The Rents of Wapping fallen, yet the Rector keeps up his Rate Tithes, and advanceth them arbitrarily on Houses rebuilt.  He urges, That several of the new Houses built in that Parish, have dropped down, and that the old Houses have fallen in their Rents, etc. The probability of the former part we leave to the Judgement of this Honourable House, and as to the later, whatever Houses do in White-Chappel, This is so true, in respect of Wapping (as to all the Houses in general) that those which were formerly let at 25 l. 20 l. or 16 l. per Ann. are now reduced to 18 l. 12 l. and 10 l. per Ann. and yet notwithstanding the Rector has not diminished any thing of his Rate Tithes on those Houses, but on the contrary, has taken opportunity to advance them on any Houses new built or divided, taxing them arbitrarily what he thought fit. As to the present worth of the Rectory, We are willing to refer ourselves to his own Books.  
Fifthly, 
The Hamlet not a Fourth part, and poorer in proportion than White-Chappel.  He say, The Hamlet of Wapping is above a third part of the Parish, that they are above a Mile by the Waterside, are accounted a Wealthy People, etc. To which we must answer more truly, as we have already set forth, that we are not one Fourth part of the Whole. And are but little above half a Mile of Statute-measure by the Waterside, and the Houses Scituate there are burdened with vast Charges in keeping up their dams or Fences towards the Water, and are lately fallen near a Third part in their Rents, thro' the removal of the richest Inhabitants into the new Buildings of White-Chappel, and other places; so far are we from that Great Trade and Wealth as is untruly intimated. And as to the Hamlet in general, through the increase of the Poor of Seamens Widows, Orphans, etc. The Hamlet is so impoverished, that whereas about Twenty years ago three was not Overcess for the Poor; and about Fourteen years ago 30 or 40 l. per Annum at most, did defray the charge of the accidental poor, now our Overcess is advanced to 200 l. per Annum.  
As to the Case of the Churchwardens; 
The paving Wapping-streets, the charge of the Sewers, and the loss of Public Charities, will more than compensate their Contribution to the High ways.  the Hamlet of Wapping Represents as before, that a Consideration being had to the daily growth of White-Chappel, To the vast Charge of Wapping in paving their own Highways, their great expense on the Common, Sewers and their Outlets. And to the loss of the Proportion of Public Charities given to the Parish at large, it will appear, That White-Chappel (instead of a detriment) will receive an advantage.  
The Inhabitants of Wapping therefore humbly beg this Honourable House to promote this good and just Design, in making them a Parish, without such Reserves as are desired in the Rectors and Churchwardens Case and Petitions.