THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 LIBRARY 
 
 From the collection of 
 James Collins, 
 Drumcondra, Ireland. 
 Purchased, 1918. 
 
 H84a. 
 
i 
 
 
 
WILLIAM HOWITT’S 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 OF HIS 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT 
 
I 
 
WILLIAM HOWITT’S 
 
 ABRIDGMENT 
 
 OF HIS 
 
 POPULAR HISTORY 
 
 PRIESTCRAFT. 
 
 Help us to save free conscience from the paw 
 Of hireling wolves, whose Gospel is their maw. 
 
 Milton. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 EFFINGHAM WILSON, ROYAL EXCHANGE. 
 
 1834. 
 
LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED BY MANNING AND SMITHSON, 
 12, IV r LANK, PATERNOSTER ROW. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 2 X . i 
 
 H 4 a. 
 
 d 
 
 -o 
 
 
 
 
 PART I. 
 
 FALSE AND CORRUPT RELIGIONS, 
 GENERALLY. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Introduction I 
 
 Chap. I. — Pagan Priesthoods 2 
 
 'Chap. IT. — The Jewish Priesthood 10 
 
 Chap. III. — The Popish Priesthood 12 
 
 PART IL 
 
 THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 Page. 
 
 Chap. I.- — Origin and Character of the English 
 
 Reformed Church 20 
 
 Chap. II. — Constitution of the English Church , . 28 
 
 Chap. III. — The Church of Ireland ....... 39 
 
 Chap. IV.^ — Wealth of the English Church . « . . 42 
 
 Chap. V. — Tithes 54 
 
 Chap. VI. — Church Patronage 60 
 
 Chap. VII. — Church Reform 65 
 
 Chap. VIII. — A Chapter of Worthies .75 
 
 Chap. IX. — Conclusion ..... 80 
 
 2 a 
 
 4 
 
 0 
 
 
 2 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2017 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates 
 
 https://archive.org/details/williamhowittsabOOhowi 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In publishing the History of Priestcraft, it was my desire to 
 do it at so cheap a rate as to bring it within the reach of as 
 great a portion of the public as possible. For this reason the 
 price was fixed at 5^. ; but it was equally desirable that the 
 book should be made as perfect and effective as possible, and 
 therefore in the third edition, matter to the amount of one- 
 third of the original quantity was added, on the English 
 Church ; and it was found necessary, from experience gained 
 by the sale of the former editions of the work, to charge it 7s. 
 It was then said that the price of even such a book as this put 
 it out of the power of the working class to obtain it, and it was 
 recommended to publish so large an edition, and in such a 
 form, as to reduce the price to the very lowest scale. ^ 
 
 While I was considering how this might best be done, with- 
 out such a loss as I could not, in justice to my family, incur, 
 
 I was astonished by the appearance of an advertisement, 
 announcing an abridgment of the work published by John 
 Cleave, at Is. fid. But if I was astonished at this impudent 
 invasion of copyright, by a man calling himself a reformer, I 
 was more so, by seeing the True Sun newspaper come forward 
 as the unblushing advocate of this piracy. 
 
 Its strange article on this subject, consisting of more than a 
 column and a half, may be seen in the No. for June 10th. It 
 assumes that an abridgment of a work is no piracy ; — that in 
 complaining of it as a violation of my copyright, I am “ both 
 legally and morally wrong.” It quotes several cases of deci- 
 sions by Judges to prove this j every case so quoted condemn- 
 
Vlll 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 ing and- convicting itself of error. One case says, that what 
 is called an abridgment, shall not be a mere transcript;” 
 but this is a mere transcript. I will venture to assert, without 
 possibility of contradiction, that not two pages in the whole 
 ninety-six of which the abridgment consists, have been written 
 by the abridger, but are taken substantially from my work. 
 Another case says, that “ a variation in form and manner is a 
 variation in substance but here is no variation of form and 
 manner in the matter itself, though there is some little in the 
 disposition of the chapters. They make Lord Mansfield say, 
 that the Act which secures copyrights to authors, guards 
 against the piracy of the words and sentiments but this is a 
 wholesale piracy of the words and sentiments of the original. 
 
 Thus the quotations made by the Editors of the True Sun 
 condemn them ; and every case they can quote will, I am 
 sure, condemn them. Lord Hardwicke said, that an abridg- 
 ment can only be allowed, when a voluminous work is reduced 
 by invention, learning, and judgment, into a portable forrn 
 but here, the original is not a voluminous work, but itself a 
 small octavo volume of matter greatly condensed ; and there 
 requires neither invention, learning, nor judgment, further 
 than exist in a pair of shears and a pot of paste, to make such 
 an abridgment as the one they defend. 
 
 Such is the Law ; and I will venture to say, that only per- 
 mit their interpretation of it to pass, and there is an end of all 
 copyright. If a man may be allowed, the moment a work 
 proves popular, to knock out a few sentences, or to alter the 
 arrangement of the work in some degree, and then to publish 
 it in a cheaper form, as an abridgment, there is an end of all 
 security of copyright ; and consequently of all zeal and en- 
 terprise in authors, — for however patriotic authors maybe, they 
 cannot live upon the wind. 
 
 The same principle might with as much justice be applied 
 to any other species of property. A man might as reasonably 
 knock out a few bricks, or take the top course from your 
 chimney, and then seize upon your house, as an abridgment; 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 or he might come into your garden, and alter the arrange- 
 ment of your gooseberry trees, and seize your garden as an 
 abridgment. On this principle you have only to crop the 
 ears of a negro, and then he is an abridgment; and you 
 have an admirable argument for the slave trade. 
 
 Such abominable doctrines never proceeded from the most 
 avowed enemies of the people, much less from the ppfessed 
 friends of liberty, and right, and reform. Their arguments 
 are neither sound law, nor sound, morals. But supposing they 
 had been law?- — Are there not many laws that are as in- 
 iquitous as those of Pandemonium could possibly be; and 
 deserve from a free and honest press as much reprehension ? 
 Supposing it had been law — is it right? And is it not a 
 novelty, and a novelty of the most revolting description, to 
 find a Newspaper founded for the purpose of promulgating 
 sound political knowledge, and sentiments of political in- 
 tegrity, thus coming out as the champion of literary robbery ? 
 
 It is a singular fact that, writing to all the Newspapers 
 which advertised this pirated work, and the publishers whose 
 names were appended to the advertisement, the True Sun 
 was the only one that did not instantly disavow all knowledge 
 of the real nature of the publication, and declare against all 
 further connexion with it. But this was not all, on the part 
 of the True Sun — it proceeded to advocate the cause of the 
 pirate by some of the strangest and most palpable falsehoods. 
 In the first place, it asserted, that “ the author (the pirate) 
 says truly, that nearly the whole of it has been re-written from 
 the larger work.” Now anybody who is acquainted with the 
 larger work, as the Editors profess themselves to be, must see, 
 on examination, that the abridgment is not re-written at all : 
 but is as complete a transcript as can well be made. 
 
 By the way, this doctrine of re-writing a book is one so 
 dishonest, that so far from furnishing an excuse for the inva- 
 sion of copyright, it ought to be held up to public infamy. 
 I heard a person the other day — a traveller from a very 
 respectable London publishing house, (and professing himself 
 
X 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 indeed of the firm) speaking of the Life of Rowland Hill,” 
 say, Now there is a fine opportunity. Any one who will take 
 that book, and re-write it, and get it out in a fortnight before 
 the author can get out his new edition, w’ould make a little for- 
 tune.” But,” said a lady who was by — ‘‘ that would be 
 very unprincipled.” 0 madam ! it is only what is done every 
 day'' And this the man thought sufficient justification of 
 one of the most knavish actions that a creature, professing 
 himself a Christian, and bound by his creed to do as he would 
 be done by, could be guilty of ! 
 
 If such doctrines, I say, are to be tolerated respecting lite- 
 rary property — if they are not only to be tolerated, but trum- 
 peted forth as just and honourable by the reforming press — a 
 press set up to promulgate, amid the mass of the people, right 
 views, right sentiments, right rules of thinking and acting; 
 then, I repeat, all literary property is at an end ; and, what 
 is worse, all just and generous principles are at an end. It 
 will be in vain that we call for reform, if we call for it by such 
 mouths. A man shall get together documents of great value ; 
 he shall add to them great and laborious research; he shall 
 add to this, much hard thinking and hard labour; he shall 
 devote much expense, and risk stiU more — for no one can 
 always say beforehand, “ assuredly this work shall be popular;” 
 and the moment it does happen to become popular, a thief 
 shall crawl out of his den in some London alley, and seizing 
 upon it, write it again in other words ; publish it, as he may, 
 for it costs him nothing, at a low price, and run away with all 
 the profit of the legitimate and astonished author. 
 
 But,” says the True Sun, in the most amusing manner, 
 we hope Mr. Howitt will not take legal measures against the 
 author of the abridgment, for if he does it will occasion un- 
 pleasant reflections on his own character; he professes to have 
 written the work with patriotic motives, and this will look 
 selfish.” Only for a moment imagine a highwayman standing 
 with his pistol at the head of a traveller, and saying, O! 
 don’t be reluctant to be robbed, or it will occasion unpleasant 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 XI 
 
 reflections on your character ; pull out your cash with a good 
 grace, or it will look selfish.” This is, in fact, the language 
 of the True Sun ; and it would be amusing, if it were not dis- 
 honest in purpose. I should like to know what would be the 
 language and the feeling of the editors of the True Sun, if the 
 tables were turned upon them — if some one were to take their 
 paper, knock out the advertisements, and reprinting all the rest, 
 sell it immediately at one penny. 
 
 But to render my selfishness more apparent, they resort to 
 another most bare-faced falsehood. They say the original 
 work costs 7s. 6d., and contains 400 pages. Now it sells, as 
 the label itself shews, at 7s., and consists of 427 pages ; for the 
 Vindication makes part of the volume. Thus they knowingly 
 exaggerate the price and decrease the quantity of the original, 
 in order to make the abridgment appear cheap. Could these 
 unworthy artifices have been expected from the True Sun ? 
 
 But, dear or cheap, it is quite evident that no one had a 
 right to make an abridgment without my consent ; and it has 
 been, and will be again, asked, what can be the motive of the 
 True Sun for this strange advocacy of it? Can it be that one 
 of the editors is himself concerned in the piracy, and that 
 John Cleave is but a cat’s-paw? I see that Mr. Carpenter 
 has a volume advertised on the pages of the pirated work ; 
 I hear that John Cleave makes use of the True Sun press. — 
 Can an editor of the True Sun, then, he the real author of the 
 abridgment which he defends so warmly ? I trust he will not 
 feel offended by this question, for he cannot be ashamed to 
 own what he is not ashamed to commend. 
 
 The present abridgment will be found every way superior to 
 the pirated one, for I am determined not to be outdone in 
 cheapness, though I do not steal my material, 
 
 W. Howitt. 
 
 Nottingham, June, 1834. 
 
f 
 
 THE 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT. 
 
 PART I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Kingcraft and priestcraft have been the curse of the world. 
 Taking advantage of human necessities-— civil government and spi- 
 ritual instruction — these two evil principles have become the scourges 
 of our race. Kingcraft, seizing hold upon the office of civil govern- 
 ment, has proclaimed that the office was not made for man, but man 
 for it : that it possessed a divine right to trample upon men’s dearest 
 rights ; to shed their blood at its will ; and in return, to be wor- 
 shipped as a God. Its annals are written in blood, and it has left 
 its traces in deserts of everlasting desolation, and in the ferocious 
 spirits of brutalized hordes. It has converted earth into a hell, and 
 men into demons. It has turned the human mind from its natural 
 pursuit of knowledge, virtue, and social happiness, into a career of 
 blind rage and bitter prejudices. So much for Kingcraft ! 
 
 Many of the fiendish arts and exploits of “ that sister pest,” 
 Priestcraft, are embodied in ecclesiastical history and the chro- 
 nicles of Kingcraft; but no lucid and complete picture of it has been 
 presented to the world. It shall be our task to supply this deside- 
 ratum ; to shew that priestcraft has always and everywhere been the 
 same ; that its nature is one, and that nature essentially evil ; that 
 its object is self-gratification and self-aggrandizement ; its means, the 
 basest frauds and the most shameless delusions ; that nothing is so 
 mean in weakness, so daring in assumption, or so arrogant in com- 
 mand ; that professing to be merciful, nothing has ever exhibited 
 itself in shapes of equal cruelty; that claiming sanctity as its pecu- 
 liar attribute, nothing has been so licentious ; that assuming the 
 mien of humility, nothing is so impiously proud and offensively in- 
 solent; that proclaiming to others the utter vanity of worldly goods, 
 its cupidity is insatiable and its ambition boundless ; that afi’ecting 
 peace and purity, it has perpetrated the most savage wars, and, in 
 the very name of Heaven, spread far and wide the contagion of sen- 
 suality ; that in Europe, usurping the seat of knowledge, and the 
 
2 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 exclusive promulgation of the doctrines of a religion whose very 
 nature overflows with freedom, and love, and enlightenment, it has 
 locked up the human mind for centuries, mocked it with the most 
 ridiculous baubles, made it the prey to savage passions, robbed it of 
 the highest joys of earth or heaven — the exercise of a perfected intel- 
 lect and a benevolent heart — and, finally, that, by its tyrannies, pue- 
 rilities, and inane pomps, it overwhelmed the middle ages with the 
 horrors of bigotry, and modern times with the tenfold horrors of in- 
 fidel heartlessness, and the wars of atheism. 
 
 This is a heavy charge j but alas ! it is capable of ample proof. 
 Be it observed, however, that the worst systems have often involved 
 in their dark intricacies the very best of men. False or corrupt church 
 establishments have not been without some such. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 PAGAN PRIESTHOODS. 
 
 Priestcraft exhibited its hideous form immediately after the flood, 
 and there is abundant evidence that all idolatrous worship is derived 
 from the same'' source. When mankind, who had but one original 
 place of abode, dispersed themselves abroad, they carried their reli- 
 gious opinions, which were uniform in their character, into all the 
 regions of the earth. In progress of time, these opinions were 
 modified and varied by a number of causes, but they have not been 
 so darkened and disfigured as to extinguish those great leading 
 features which characterize them as the offspring of one common 
 parent. The Bible furnishes an unerring solution of the whole 
 theory of universal paganism. The manners, traditions, and lan- 
 guage of the various races of mankind, concur with the sacred 
 writings in attesting the common origin of the human family, and 
 the primeval identity of their religious worship. 
 
 In all the pagan mythologies we have a triad of principal gods. 
 In the Greek, we have Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto ; in the Hindoo, 
 Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva; in the Egyptian, Osiris, Florus, and 
 Typhon; in the Persian, Ormuzd, Mithras, and Ahriman ; in the 
 Syriac, Menimus, Aziz, and Ares ; in the Canaanitish, Baal-Sha- 
 lisha, or self-triplicated Baal; in the Gothic, Odin, Vile, and Ve ; 
 in the Peruvian, Aponti, Churunti, and Intiquoaqui ; in the Mexi- 
 can, Mexitle, Tlaloc, and Tezcallipoca. So universally has the 
 notion of a divine triad prevailed. The source of this was, no doubt, 
 the deification of Noah and his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, 
 whom their immediate posterity were led to regard as a re-appearance 
 of Adam and his three sons, Cain, Abel, and Seth. Nor was such a 
 notion without some plausibility. The coincidence of circumstances 
 
PAGANISM. 
 
 3 
 
 between Adam and Noah was of a most singular description. Adam, 
 the first man, and father of the first world, and Noah, the first 
 man, and father of the second world, had each three sons, conspi- 
 cuous in history; and of these three, one in each case was a bad 
 one — Cain and Ham. These coincidences led men to believe that 
 the second family was an avater of the first ; the next step was to 
 consider them immortal, and pay them divine honours. 
 
 The ark was also held by the post-diluvians in the most sacred 
 veneration. It was that into which their great father and all living 
 things had entered, and floated away safely over the destroying- 
 waters. It was the type of the earth, into which Adam had entered 
 by death ; and, as they supposed, re-appeared in Noah. Hence, an 
 ark is to be found in nearly every system of pagan worship. It was 
 the model of the most ancient temples. It was borne in the most 
 religious processions of Osiris, Adonis, Bacchus, Ceres, and amongst 
 the Druids ; and it has been found amongst the Mexicans, the 
 North- American Indians, and the South-Sea islanders. 
 
 The doctrine of a succession of worlds naturally arose out of the 
 supposed re-appearance of Adam and his three sons, in Noah and 
 his three sons. The great system of transmigrations and avaters of 
 the Hindoos, is but the expansion of this. Hence, also, the tradi- 
 tions of a universal deluge, to be found amongst all the ancient na- 
 tions ; amongst the wild tribes of America ; amongst the Hindoos in 
 the east, and the Celts in the west. Hence, the close connexion of 
 lakes with heathen temples ; and hence, lastly, the ancient myste- 
 ries, which were but a symbolical representation of entering the ark, 
 or great cave of death and life. As the old world was purified by 
 the flood, so these mysteries were supposed to purify and confer a 
 new life on those who passed through them. 
 
 Idolatry, thus diffused over the globe, formed a field for priest- 
 craft to exercise itself in ; and by its active malignity the earth was 
 speedily overrun by every curse that could fix itself on humanity. 
 
 When we recollect over what an immense extent of country, and 
 through what a number of ages, idolatry extended itself, what a ter- 
 rible sum of miseries must we see to have been inflicted on our race, 
 by the diabolical zeal and cupidity of priestcraft ! From the temple 
 of Buddh and Jaggernath in India, to the stony circles of Druidism 
 in Europe ; from the snowy wastes of Siberia and Scandinavia in the 
 north, to the most southern lands in Africa and America, the fires of 
 bloody deities have rejoiced the demoniac priests, and consumed the 
 people. 
 
 To whatever part of the world we direct our attention, we shall 
 discover the same evidences of the pollutions and horrors of priest- 
 craft. In Syria, and the neighbouring kingdoms of Philistia, Moab, 
 Amalek, &c., the number of false gods w^as extremely great ; and 
 the principal characteristics of the whole idol dynasty w'ere horrible 
 cruelty, gross licentiousness, and insatiable cupidity. 
 
 Of the raneorous activity of the heathen priesthood, to increase 
 
4 
 
 HISTORY OF miESTCRAFT : 
 
 their power and extend their influence, the Jewish history is full. 
 Scarcely had the Hebrews escaped from Kgypt, when the Moabites 
 came amongst them with their harlot daughters, carrying beneath 
 their robes the images of Chemosh, and scattering amongst the frail 
 Jews the mingled fires of sensual and idolatrous passion. I’hrough 
 the whole period of the administration of the Judges, the heathen 
 priests were indefaligably at work, and brought upon the backsliding 
 Hebrews the vengeance of their own living and indignant God. The 
 wise and magnificent Solomon they plucked from the height of his 
 peerless knowledge and glory, and rendered the reigns of his suc- 
 cessors continual scenes of reproof and desolation, till the whole 
 nation was swept into captivity. 
 
 The unbridled sensuality of the pagan worship added greatly to 
 its attractions and power of mischief. The Assyrian Baal was made 
 the scape-goat of the sensuality of the priests, who, under the pre- 
 text of providing a sacrifice of beauty to the Deity, selected the most 
 lovely women of the nation for themselves ; a species of detestable 
 deception which seems to have been carried on to an enormous 
 extent in ancient times, as the Grecian stories testify. When the 
 Assyrian was merged in the Babylonian empire, the orgies of the 
 temple of Mylitta, the Babylonian Venus, were infamous above all 
 others. Every woman was bound to present herself before the temple 
 once in her life, and there to submit to prostitution with whoever first 
 chose her. The price of her shame was paid into the treasury, to 
 swell the revenues of the priests. 
 
 If we turn to Europe, we shall find that whatever was the name, 
 the language, or the government of the different countries, the reli- 
 gion was essentially the same. There was, first, an order of 
 priests ; secondly, an order of military nobles ; thirdly, a subjugated 
 multitude ; and institutions, the spirit of which, is that of thrusting 
 the lower orders from all place and authority, and systematically 
 dooming them to an unalterable state of servile depression. 
 
 The priests often united the sacerdotal and sovereign power in 
 their own persons ; and where this was not the case, they exercised a 
 powder superior to that of kings. They inflicted pains and penalties, 
 exacted the most abject submission, and, as the pretended inter- 
 preters of the divine will, dared even to demand, in the name of 
 heaven, the blood of kings. This they obtained. 
 
 The great and long-hidden continent of America was, when dis- 
 covered, found to have been subjected to the same superstitions, the 
 same dominant spirit of priesthood, and the same terrible systems of 
 worship. Mexico and Peru had grown to comparative greatness, and 
 assumed forms of civil polity, with many of the rights and institu- 
 tions of what is called civilized life. With these, however, was to 
 be found commingled all the great features of that enslaving and de- 
 giading superstition which they had brought with them from the 
 continent of Asia, by the way of Behring’s Straits. Tiiey had their 
 triads of gods; the worship of the sun, of the evil ami vindictive 
 
PAGANISM. 
 
 O 
 
 principle, and of serpents. They had the same dominant caste of 
 priests and nobles ; the same abject one of the common people ; 
 human sacrifices, the burning of slaves and dependants on the fu- 
 neral pile ; they had the ark, the doctrine of successive -worlds, and 
 the patriarchal traditions. 
 
 Of their bloody sacrifices the Spanish writers are full. Fear is 
 described to have been the soul of the Mexican worship. They 
 never approached their altars without blood, drawn from their own 
 bodies. Of all their offerings, and they were numerous, human sa- 
 crifices were deemed to be the most acceptable. Every captive taken 
 in war was sacrificed, with horrid cruelties, at the temple ; the head 
 and heart being devoted to the gods, and the body appropriated to 
 the warrior by whom the captive had been taken, to feast himself and 
 his friends. The prevalence of these horrid rites counteracted all the 
 humanizing and softening effects of all their social institutions, and 
 their progress in the arts. Their manners became more ferocious as 
 they advanced, until the barbarity of their actions greatly exceeded 
 those of the savage state. 
 
 The number of human victims annually sacrificed by the Mexi- 
 cans alone, is said to have exceeded twenty thousand! Herrera 
 declares that as many as twenty-five thousand have been sacrificed 
 in a single day ! This may be an exaggeration ; but ail authorities 
 concur in demonstrating the enormous extent of their bloody rites. 
 
 The priest-ridden condition of Egypt is known to all readers of 
 history. Lord Shaftesbury calls it, “ the mother-land of supersti- 
 tions.” So completely had the priesthood here contrived to fix them- 
 selves on the shoulders of the people, so completely to debase and 
 stupify them with an overwhelming abundance of foolish veneration, 
 that the country swarmed with temples, gods, and creatures, which, 
 in themselves most noxious or loathsome, were objects of adoration. 
 Juvenal laughs at them, as making gods of their onions ; and dogs, 
 cats, lizards, and other creatures were cherished with the most sacred 
 veneration. The remains of their ancient temples and other sacred 
 buildings, as well as the universal voice of ancient history, suffi- 
 ciently testify the splendour and absolute dominance of the order of 
 the priesthood in Egypt. The mighty engine employed to enslave the 
 people was the moral and theologic philosophy, which the priests 
 retained as a secret to be carefully shrouded from the vulgar multi- 
 tude. There was reason in this. The display of science in the ex- 
 clusive hands of the sacerdotal race, was naturally regarded by a 
 people under the influence of gross superstition, as an evidence of 
 supernatural power. 
 
 Amongst the superstitions of Egypt we find, as elsewhere, the 
 horrible rite of human sacrifice. Strabo assures us, that they annu- 
 ally sacrificed to the Nile a noble virgin ; and Diodorus affirms that 
 they sacrificed red-haired men at the tomb of Osiris, because his 
 mortal enemy, Typhon, was of that colour. Busiris sacrificed 
 Thracians to appease the angry Nile ; and three men were daily 
 
6 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 sacrificed to Lucina, at Heliopolis; instead of which, Amasis after- 
 wards humanely substituted waxen images. 
 
 But their rites were characterised by sensuality and lewdness, as 
 v/ell as by bloody cruelty. The Phallic rites engrafted a vulgar and 
 indecent character on the national manners. The abominations of 
 Priapus, and the Bacchanalian and Saturnalia n orgies, were propa- 
 gated amongst the Greeks, by the Egyptian priesthood. 
 
 These sensual ceremonies greatly added to the power of the 
 priests, who became, as in other countries, the lordly caste. “ The 
 soldiers and the priests,” said Herodotus, “ are the only ranks in 
 Egypt which are honourably distinguished; these, each of them, 
 receive from the public a portion of land of twelve acres, free from 
 all taxes : besides this, the military enjoy, in their turn, other ad- 
 vantages ; one thousand are every year, in turn, on the king’s 
 guard, and receive, besides their land, a daily allowance of five 
 pounds of bread, two of beef, and four austeres of wine.” Plato, 
 Plutarch, and Diodorus agree with Herodotus. A prince, say they, 
 cannot reign in Egypt, if he be ignorant of sacred affairs. The king- 
 must be either of the race of priests or soldiers ; these two classes 
 being distinguished, the one by their wisdom, the other by their 
 valour. When they have chosen a warrior for king, he is immedi- 
 ately admitted into the order of priests, who instruct him in their 
 mysterious philosophy. The priests may censure the king, give him 
 advice, and regulate his actions; they fix the time when he shall 
 w’alk, bathe, or even visit his vvife. Their power, in fact, was su- 
 preme. Darius wished only to place a statue of himself in a temple, 
 but the priests resisted it, and he was obliged to submit. M. Lar- 
 cher even supposes, and he is borne out by a number of concurring 
 circumstances, that the priests were, for many ages, the sole sove- 
 reigns of Egypt. A most triumphant reign of Priestcraft, indeed ! 
 
 The popular theology of Greece, though it had the same origin as 
 all other mythologies, assumed, by passing through the glorious 
 minds of Hesiod and Homer, all those characters of grace and 
 beauty which they conferred on their literature, their philosophy, 
 and all the arts and embellishments of life. 
 
 But beautiful as the system was made to appear by the embellish- 
 ments of their im*mortal poets, the Grecians celebrated the same 
 mysteries, offered the same human sacrifices, and were contami- 
 nated by the same Phallic abominations, as all the other pagan 
 nations. The genius of the people, bold and free, however, saved 
 them from the extreme horrors and degradations of priesthood. In 
 all other countries the priests were the monopolists of knowledge ; 
 but in Greece, Homer poured it abroad, like light through the earth, 
 and his countrymen became imbued by the same dauntless, un- 
 larneable spirit ; alike intolerant of the despotism of the throne and 
 the altar. 
 
 Priestcraft therefore adapted its policy to the spirit of the people. 
 I t gratified their curiosity of the present and the future, by mysteries 
 
PAGANISM. 
 
 7 
 
 and oracles ; their love of grace and festivity, by processions and 
 joyous festivals ; it captivated and awed their sensitive imagina- 
 tions, by aid of the fine arts, erecting magnificent temples, paint- 
 ings, and sculpture, specimens of which remain to command the 
 admiration, if not the worship, of the world. To these were added 
 the appliances of sacrifices, human and bestial ; auguries and ora- 
 cles, games and mysteries. By thus providing for the tastes of all, 
 the Priests attained their object — wealth and unbounded influence. 
 
 Diodorus Siculus, speaking of their wealth, says, “ The principal 
 hoards of treasure, both in bullion and coined money, were in their 
 temples, which were crowded with presents of immense value, 
 brought by the superstitious from every part of Greece. These 
 temples were considered as national banks ; and the priests offi- 
 ciated as bankers, — not always, indeed, the most honest, as was 
 once proved at Athens, where the state treasurers, having expended 
 or embezzled the public money, had the audacity to set fire to that 
 part of the temple of Minerva W'here the treasure was contained ; by 
 which sacrilegious act that magnificent fane was near being wholly 
 consumed. I'heir purpose, however, was fully answered, since the 
 registers of the temple were reported to have perished with the 
 treasures, and all responsibility precluded.” 
 
 We have no means of knowing the amount of treasure concealed 
 by the Grecian priesthood in their sacred depositaries. When the 
 Phocenses, urged to despair by the exactions of the Thebans, seized 
 on the treasures of Delplii, they amounted to ten thousand talents ; 
 above 2,250, OOOZ. sterling ; a small portion only, in all probability, 
 of what sacerdotal perfidy had previously secured. 
 
 The consequences of this spirit of priestly avarice need not be 
 dwelt upon. They are exhibited in the history of ancient Greece. 
 The wealth drained from the people, by priestly machinations, was 
 eventually appropriated to the payment of the soldiers, who enslaved 
 and destroyed them. And in this fate Greece has not been singular. 
 It has been the same in almost every other country, where the 
 priests have obtained domination. 
 
 In India, priestcraft assumed its most determined and fearless 
 air. In other lands, it placed itself in the first rank of honour and 
 power. In this it went a step further. Its chains appear to be in- 
 dissolubly rivetted on the mind of this mighty empire. The perfec- 
 tion of its craft and the selfishness of its spirit are exhibited in 
 millions on millions bound in chains of the most slavish and soul- 
 quelling castes, and the servility of a subtile religious creed. India 
 has its triad of gods ; its doctrine of metempsychosis, its practice of 
 the Phallic licentiousness, its horrors of human sacrifice and self- 
 immolation. We need not specify the bloody rites of Jaggernath, 
 the barbarous burning of widows, or the unnatural immolation of 
 children. Throughout continental India, we have an example of priest- 
 craft in its most decided, undisguised, subtle, and triumphant cha- 
 racter, at once in full flower and full fruit ; in that state at which it has 
 
R 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 always and everywhere aimed, but never attained elsewhere. It has 
 here stamped itself, on the heart of a great nation, in its broadest 
 and most imperishable style ; in all its avowed despotism, its selfish- 
 ness, imperturbable pride, and cool arrogance of fanatical power. 
 
 Of the obscenities of the Brahminical system and the venality of 
 the priests, a well-authenticated writer thus speaks : ‘‘ Incited, un- 
 questionably, by the hieroglyphic emblems of vice so conspicuously 
 elevated and strikingly painted in the temple of Mahadeo, the 
 priests of that deity industriously selected the most beautiful females 
 that could be found, and, in their tenderest years, with great pomp 
 and solemnity, consecrated them, as it is impiously called, to the 
 service of the divinity of the pagoda. They were trained in every 
 art to delude arid delight, and, to the fascination of external beauty, 
 their artful betrayers added the attractions arising from mental ac- 
 complishments. Thus was an invariable rule of the Hindoos, that 
 women have no concern with literature, dispensed with on this infa- 
 mous occasion. The moment these hapless creatures reached matu- 
 rity, they fell victims to the lust of the Brahmins. They were early 
 taught to practise the most alluring blandishments, to roll the ex- 
 pressive eye of wanton pleasure, and to invite to criminal indul- 
 gence, by stealing upon the beholder the tender look of voluptuous 
 languishing. They were instructed to mould their elegant and airy 
 forms into the most enticing attitudes and the most lascivious ges- 
 tures; while the rapid and most graceful motion of their feet, 
 adorned with golden bells and glittering with jewels, kept unison 
 with the exquisite melody of their voices. Every pagoda has a 
 band of these young syrens, whose business on great festivals is to 
 dance in public before the idol, to sing hymns in his honour, and in 
 private to enrich the treasury of the pagoda by tlie wages of prosti- 
 tution. These women are not, however, regarded in a dishonour- 
 able light; they are considered as wedded to the idol, and they 
 partake the veneration paid to him. They are forbidden ever to 
 desert the pagoda where they are educated, and are never permitted 
 to marry ; but the offspring, if any, of their criminal embraces, are 
 considered sacred to the idol : the boys are taught to play on the 
 sacred instruments used at the festivals; and the daughters are 
 devoted to the abandoned occupation of their mothers. 
 
 The reader has, doubtless, heard and read frequently of the dege- 
 neracy and venality of Priests ; and we know from Herodotus, what 
 scandalous prostitutions were suffered in honour of Myli'tta ; but a 
 system of corruption, so systematical, so deliberate, and so nefari- 
 ous, — and that professedly carried on in the name and for the ad- 
 vantage of religion, — stands perhaps unrivalled in the history of the 
 world, and the annals of infamy. It was by degrees that the Eleu- 
 sinian worship arrived at the point of its extreme enormity; and 
 the obscenities, finally prevalent, were equally regretted and dis- 
 claimed by the institutions ; but in India we see an avowed plan of 
 sliameless seduction and debauchery : the priest himself converted 
 
PAGANISM. 
 
 9 
 
 into a base procurer ; and the pagoda itself into a public brothel. 
 The devout Mahometan traveller, whose journey in India, in the 
 ninth century, has been published by M. Renaudot, and from which 
 account this description is partly taken, concludes the article by a 
 solemn thanksgiving to the Almighty, that he and his nation were 
 delivered from the errors of infidelity, and were unstained by the 
 enormities of so criminal a devotion. 
 
 The avarice of the sacerdotal tribe in India kept pace with the 
 same passion in the priesthood of other parts of the world. Im- 
 mense quantities of wealth were made to flow into their coffers. 
 Their pagodas were adorned with the richest metals ; the altars and 
 sacred vessels of the temples were of massy gold ; and their statues, 
 numerous and large, were made of the same material ; or that next 
 to it in value, silver. 
 
 The treasures which Timour took in Delhi, were enormous ; 
 rubies, pearls, and diamonds, gold and silver vessels, money and 
 bullion, were carried away in such profusion by his army that the 
 soldiers absolutely refused to encumber themselves with more ; and 
 an abundant harvest of plunder was left to future invaders. The 
 riches accumulated by the priests of this afiluent region exceed, 
 indeed, the power of the imagination to grasp them. Mr. Orme 
 (in his History of Hindostan) tells us : — that the Brahmins slum- 
 bered in the most luxurious repose in their splendid pagodas, where 
 the numbers accommodated were astonishing ; that pilgrims came 
 from all parts of the Peninsula to worship at that of Seringham, but 
 none without an offering of money ; that a large part of the re- 
 venue of the island is allotted for the maintenance of the Brahmins 
 who inhabit it ; and that these, with their families, formerly com- 
 posed a multitude, not less in number than forty thousand souls, 
 supported without labour, by the liberality of superstition. 
 
 Having thus seized the reins of unlimited power, the Priests had 
 only to command, and make an empire of slaves. And such was 
 their course. The Brahmin wielded both the empire and monarch. 
 He stood in the place of the deity ; the will of Heaven was thought 
 to issue from his lips, and his decision was reverenced as the fiat of 
 destiny. In fact, the Indian government is justly considered as a 
 theocracy — a theocracy the more terrible, because the name of God 
 was perverted to sanction and support the most dreadful species of 
 despotism ; — a despotism which, not content with subjugating the 
 body, tyrannized over the prostrate faculties of the enslaved mind. 
 
 Such is the picture of Priestcraft, and such the terrible spectacle 
 of its effects. In lands, however distant, and times, however re- 
 mote, we can make but one discovery — a suffering people, and a 
 proud and imperious priesthood. Like the Old Man of the Sea' 
 upon the shoulders of poor Sinbad, Priestcraft, the old man 
 of the church, has ridden on the shoulders of humanity, and set at 
 
10 
 
 HISTORY OF rniESTCRAFT : 
 
 defiance all endeavour to dislodge him. Unlike the Old Man of 
 the Sea, whose best beverage was* a brook, he is too well inured to 
 strong drinks, to be readily overcome by them. He has quaffed the 
 juice of all vines ; presided at the festivities of all nations ; poured 
 libations to all gods: in the wild orgies of the ancient German and 
 British forests he has revelled ; in the midnight feast of skulls he 
 has pledged the savage and the cannibal ; the war-feast of the wil- 
 derness, or the sacred banquet of the refined Greek, alike found 
 him a guest ; he has taken the cup of pollution from the hand of 
 the Babylonian harlot ; and pledged, in the robes of the Gallic 
 Primate, renunciation of the Christian religion with the Athiest 
 Lover of all royal fetes ; delighter in the crimson-cushioned ease of 
 all festivals in high places ; soul of all jollity where the plunderers 
 and the deluders of men are met to rejoice over their achievements ; 
 inspirer of all choice schemes for the destruction of liberty and 
 genuine knowledge when the vintage of triumphant fraud ferments 
 in his brain, till the wine of God’s wrath, in the shape of man’s in- 
 dignation, confound him, — w'hat shall move him from his living 
 throne ? Prom the days of the Flood to those of William the Fourth 
 of England, he has ridden on, exultingly, the everlasting incubus 
 of the groaning world. 
 
 Note. — For the full and interesting details of Pagan Priestcraft, 
 see our larger work. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 THE JEWISH PRIESTHOOD. 
 
 It might have been anticipated, that the only priesthood ever 
 ordained by Heaven, would prove a striking exception to the gene- 
 ral character of the sacerdotal order. But it would almost seem as 
 if one design of the Almighty, in the Jewish system, w^as to demon- 
 strate how radically mischievous an ecclesiastical order must be, 
 under any conceivable circumstances. The Jewish priests were a 
 distinct tribe, without any landed inheritance like that possessed by 
 the other tribes, and wholly dependent upon the altar. But not- 
 withstanding this fair title, so strongly did the universal spirit of 
 priestcraft work in them, that their history may be comprised in a few 
 sentences, though one of the most extraordinary in the world. It 
 began in Aaron, with idolatry and evasion ; exhibited itself more 
 fully in the sons of Eli, in peculation, oppression, and lewdness; and 
 terminated in the crucifixion of Christ ! 
 
 When we review this history, with all its extraordinary and 
 sujier-human circumstances, we are thunderstruck with astonishment. 
 
JUDAISM. 
 
 11 
 
 we are satisfied for ever of the rooted and incurable malignancy of 
 priestcraft. If the fate of all othen nations addressed us in vain, that 
 of the Jews should be to us an eternal warning. The priests of 
 God’s own ordination first corrupted, and then destroyed, the king- 
 dom. They began with idolatry, and ended with crucifying the 
 Son of God himself. Their victims, the Jews, still walk before our 
 eyes, a perpetual and fearful testimony against them — objects of the 
 contempt, loathing, and persecution of all ages, and of every race. 
 
 When Christ appeared, the career of paganism was checked, and 
 the fate of Judaism sealed. A system of religion, inconceivable 
 in its beauty, and unparalleled in the philanthropy of its founder, 
 was placed before the world. Unlike all other founders of a religious 
 faith, Christ had no selfishness, no desire of dominance ; and his 
 system, unlike all other systems of worship, was bloodless, bene- 
 ficent, pure, and, most marvellous of all, went to break all bonds 
 — of body and soul ; and to cast down every temporal and spiritual 
 tyranny. It was adapted for the wide world ; framed to embrace 
 men of all climes, all ages, all ranks of life and intellect. It repre- 
 sented the Almighty as the father, and all men as brethren born to 
 one universal love, to the same inalienable rights, and to the same 
 eternal hope. The Kedeemer himself was the living personification 
 of his principles. Demolishing the most inveterate prejudices of 
 men, by appearing a poor man amongst the poor ; by tearing from 
 aristocratic pride and priestly insolence their masks of most ortho- 
 dox assurance ; by proclaiming that the truth which he taught 
 should make all men free j by declaring that the Gentiles lorded 
 it over and oppressed one another, but that it should not be so with 
 his followers ; by pulling down with indignation spiritual pride in 
 high places, and calling the poor and afflicted his brethren, and 
 the objects of his tenderest regard, — he laid the foundations of civil 
 and religious freedom, of mental power growing out of unrestrained 
 mental energies, and of love and knowledge co-equal in extension 
 with the world. This perfect freedom of universal man he guarded 
 by leaving no decrees ; but merely great and everlasting principles, 
 intelligible to the mind and conscience of the whole human race ; 
 and on which, men in all countries, might found institutions most 
 consonant to their wants. By declaring that wherever two or 
 three were met together in his name, he would be in the midst of 
 them,” he cut off, for ever, every claim, the most specious, of priestly 
 dominance; and by expressing his unqualified and indignant abhor- 
 rence of every desire of his disciples “ to call fire from heaven upon 
 his enemies,” or to forbid those to preach and work miracles in his 
 name, who did not immediately follow him, and conform to their 
 notions, he left to his church a light more resplendent than that of 
 the sun, on the subject of non-interference with the sacred liberty 
 and prerogatives of conscience. 
 
12 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 hi. 
 
 THE POPISH PRIESTHOOD. 
 
 Upon the introduction of the Christian system, it would not have 
 been unreasonable to suppose that the arm of priestcraft would have 
 been broken ; that it would nevermore have (fared to raise its head. 
 But it is a principle of shameless avidity and audacity ; and it is 
 from this very time that we trace the most amazing career of its de- 
 lusions and atrocities, down to the day of our own existence. 
 
 Scarcely had the persecutions of the pagan emperors ceased, 
 when the Christian church became inundated with corruptions 
 and superstitions of every kind. Constantine embraced Chris- 
 tianity ; and almost the whole world embraced it nominally with 
 liim. From such a conversion, the work of regal example and in- 
 terested hopes, what effects were to be expected! The martial 
 tyranny of ancient Rome, which had subdued the world, was coming 
 to an end. The wealth of which a thousand states had been 
 stripped, had turned to poison in her bosom, and brought upon the 
 stern mistress of bloodshed and tears, that retribution from which 
 national rapine and injustice never eventually escape. But as if 
 the ghost of departed despotism hovered over the Seven Flills, and 
 sought only a fresh body to arise in a worse shape, a new tyranny 
 commenced, ten times more terrible and hateful than the old, — 
 because it was one which sought to subjugate, not merely the 
 persons of men, but to extinguish knowledge \ to crush into ever- 
 lasting childishness the human mind, and to rule it, in its fatuity, 
 with mysteries and terrors. The spirit of priestcraft rose up in Rome, 
 and assumed all its ancient and inflated claims. Satan himself 
 became enthroned on the Seven Hills, in the habit of a priest, and 
 grinned his broadest delight amidst the public and universal reign of 
 ignorance, hypocrisy, venality, and lust. 
 
 The earliest means employed by the bishops of Rom^ for the ac- 
 quisition of power, was an assertion of their supremacy over all other 
 bishops of the Christian church. But this power was not attained at 
 once. The attempt to grasp it, led to many quarrels with their con- 
 temporaries ; and the contest carried on with the patriarchs of 
 Constantinople, in particular, led to many disgraceful exhibitions of 
 priestly wrath, on both sides; for the prelates of the Greek church 
 partook largely of the arts and vices of priests in general. 
 
 In the 4th century, the bishop of Rome had obtained the pre- 
 eminence in the episcopal order ; and the see became, in consequence, 
 a most seducing object of sacerdotal ambition. At the election of a 
 pontiff, the city of Rome was usually agitated by extraordinary 
 tumults ; and on one of these occasions, in the year 366, a civil war 
 was excited, which led to the most barbarous practices and cruel 
 massacres. 
 
POPERY. 
 
 13 
 
 During the fourth century, many of those steps were laid by 
 which the bishops of Rome subsequently mounted to the summit of 
 ecclesiastical power and despcSfem ; and in the fifth century, the 
 declining power of the emperors left the pontiff at liberty to exercise 
 authority almost without control. 
 
 In the seventh century, the Roman pontiffs had recourse to the 
 most unheard of stratagems to maintain and enlarge the pre-eminence 
 and power they had acquired. The deposition and massacre of 
 kings and emperors ; the subjugation of kingdoms ; and other 
 haughty, arrogant, and barbarous acts, are abundantly scattered 
 through the annals of that period. It was not, however, till the 
 time of Hildebrand, afterwards known as Gregory VII., that the full 
 measure of the priestly spirit was exhibited in Rome. Sagacious, 
 crafty, and intrepid, he suffered nothing to escape his penetration, 
 defeat his stratagems, or daunt his courage. He looked up to the 
 summit of universal empire with a wistful eye, and laboured up the 
 steep ascent with uninterrupted ardour and invincible perseverance. 
 Void of all principle, destitute of every virtuous feeling, he suffered 
 little restraint in his audacious pursuits from the dictates of religion, 
 or the remonstrances of conscience. Not content to enlarge the 
 jurisdiction and augment the opulence of the see of Rome, he. strove 
 to render the universal church subject to its despotism ; to dissolve 
 the jurisdiction of kings and princes over the various orders of the 
 clergy, and exclude them from the management of the revenues of 
 the church. Nay, he would subject to his power kings, emperors, 
 and princes themselves ; and render their dominions tributary to 
 Rome. Such were the pious and apostolic exploits that employed 
 Gregory VII. during his own life ; and which rendered his pontificate 
 a continual scene of tumult and bloodshed. He declared France 
 tributary to the see of Rome, and ordered his legates to demand 
 yearly, in the most solemn manner, the payment of that tribute. He 
 drew up an oath for the emperor to the Romans, from whom he de- 
 manded a profession of subjection and obedience. He pretended 
 that Saxony was a feudal tenure, having been a pious offering of 
 Charlemagne to the see of Rome, fie claimed Spain : maintained 
 it had been the property of the apostolic see from the earliest times 
 of the church ; and the Spanish princes paid him tribute. He made 
 the like attempts on England : but found in William the Conqueror 
 a different subject. William granted his Peter-pence, but refused to 
 do homage for his crowa. He wrote circular letters to the German 
 princes, to Geysa, king of Hungary, and Sweno, king of Denmark, 
 demanding submission. The son of Demetrius, czar of the Russias, 
 went -to Rome, in consequence of his letters, to obtain the kingdom 
 which would devolve to him on his father’s death, as a gift from 
 ^t. Peter, after professing subjection and allegiance to the prince of 
 the Apostles, — a gift readily granted by the officious pope, who was 
 extremely liberal of what did not belong to him. Demetrius 
 Suinimer, duke of Croatia and Dalmatia, was raised to royalty by 
 
14 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT 
 
 him in the year 1076 ; and solemnly proclaimed king at Salona, on 
 condition that he should pay annually two hundred pieces of gold to 
 St. Peter, at the Easter festival. ISoleslaus II., king of Poland, 
 having killed Stanislaus, bishop of Cracow', Gregory not only ex- 
 communicated him, but hurled him from his throne ; dissolved the 
 oath of allegianc^ which his subjects had taken ; and forbid, by an 
 express and imperious edict, the nobles and clergy of Poland from 
 electing a new king without his leave. 
 
 In Italy, his success was transcendant. Matilda, the daughter of 
 Boniface, duke of Tuscany, the most powerful and opulent princess 
 of that country, found that neither ambition nor years had extin- 
 guished the tender passion in the heart of Gregory, — and as a 
 testimony of the familiarity which existed between them, settled all 
 her possessions in Italy and elsewhere upon the church of Rome ; an 
 act, however, strongly resisted by her successor, and the cause of 
 many struggles and much bloodshed. 
 
 In the eighth century, the humiliating ceremony of kissing the 
 Pope’s toe was introduced ; and subsequently, emperors were sub- 
 jected to the indignity of holding his stirrup. To complete his 
 despotic power over every Christian prince, the Roman pontiff 
 claimed and exercised the sole right of installing bishops in their 
 office ; thus making the whole church dependent on him, and there- 
 fore subservient to all papal views. 
 
 The example of the pontiffs was not lost on the bishops, abbots, 
 and inferior clergy. These, even in the time of Charlemagne, had 
 actually obtained for their tenants and possessions an immunity from 
 the jurisdiction of the magistrates; as also from all taxes and im- 
 posts. Subsequently, they carried their pretensions still further, — 
 aimed at the civil government of the cities and territories, in which 
 they exercised a spiritual dominion ; and even aspired to the 
 honours and authority of dukes, marquises, and counts of the em- 
 pire. They became bishops and abbots, clothed with titles and 
 dignities, — reverend dukes, marquises, counts, and viscounts ! 
 
 It was not, how'ever, by these means only that they sought 
 dominion over the world. They brought into use all their various 
 engines of power, deception and corruption. They could not imi- 
 tate the pagan priesthood, in assuming a higher origin than the rest 
 of mankind, and therefore entitled to pre-eminence; but they took a 
 course quite as effective. They declared themselves to be the accre- 
 dited vicegerents of Heaven ; and by a gross and unblushing per- 
 version of the words of the Redeemer, proceeded, as we have seen, to 
 rule over nations and kings. They proclaimed the infallibility of the 
 pope and his conclave of cardinals ; and thus excluded all dissent, 
 'riieir first act, having once taken this station, was that which has 
 been the practice of priests in all countries, — to shut up the true 
 knowledge amongst themselves. They wrapt the simple truths of the 
 Gospel in mysteries — they shut up the very book that was given to 
 enlighten the world — the very book which declared of its own con- 
 
POPERY. 
 
 15 
 
 tents, that they were so clear that he who ran might read them 
 that they taught a way of life so perspicuous, that “ the wayfaring 
 man, though a fool, could not err therein.” This placed the whole 
 earth in their power. The people were ignorant; and they taught 
 them what they pleased. They delivered all sorts of pernicious 
 dogmas, as scripture ; and who could contradict them ? 
 
 Having thus prostrated the human mind, they lorded it over the 
 people with insolent impunity. The Bann was adopted, and its 
 terrors became felt throughout Christendom. Was a king refractory 
 ■ — did he refuse the pontifical demand of money — had he an opinion 
 of his own — a repugnance to comply with papal influence in his 
 affairs? — The thunders of the Vatican were launched against him; 
 his kingdom was laid under the bann ; all people were forbidden, on 
 pain of eternal damnation, to trade with his subjects ; all churches 
 were shut ; the nation was on a sudden deprived of all exterior ex- 
 ercises of its religion ; the altars were despoiled of their ornaments ; 
 the crosses, the reliques, the images, and the statues of the saints 
 were laid on the ground ; and, as if the air itself might pollute 
 them by its contact, the priests carefully covered them up, even from 
 their own approach and veneration. The use of bells entirely 
 ceased in the churches ; the bells themselves were removed from the 
 steeples, and laid on the ground, with the other sacred utensils. 
 Mass was celebrated with shut doors, and none but the priests were 
 admitted to the holy institution. The clergy refused to marry, bap- 
 tise, or bury ; the dead were cast into ditches, or lay putrefying on 
 the ground ; till the superstitious people, looking on their children 
 who died without baptism, as gone to perdition, and those dead with- 
 out Christian burial, as seized on by the devil, rose in rebellious 
 fury, and obliged the prince to submit and humble himself before the 
 proud priest of Borne. Wordsworth has an affecting description of 
 a kingdom under the bann : — 
 
 Bealms quake by turns : proud arbitress of grace. 
 
 The church, by mandate shadowing forth the power 
 She arrogates o’er heaven’s eternal door. 
 
 Closes the gates of every sacred place. 
 
 Strait from the sun and tainted air’s embrace 
 All sacred things are covered ; cheerful morn 
 Grows sad as night — no seemly garb is worn, 
 
 Nor is a face allowed to meet a face 
 
 With natural smile of greeting. Bells are dumb; 
 
 Ditches are graves — funereal rites denied ; 
 
 And in the church-yard he must take his bride 
 Who dares be wedded ! Fancies thickly come 
 Into the pensive heart ill fortified. 
 
 And comfortless despairs, the soul benumb. 
 
 The invention of monkery was a capital piece of priestly in- 
 genuity. By this means the whole world became inundated with 
 monks and friars, 
 
16 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIF.STCRAFT : 
 
 Black, white, and grey, with all their trumpery. 
 
 A standing army of vigilant forces was set up in every kingdom. 
 Scattered through every town and village, they became familiar spies 
 of the papacy ; ready, at a signal, to carry terror into every region, 
 and rivet still faster the chains of the Bomish superstition. 
 
 The imaginations of the people were dazzled and won over, by 
 imposing ceremonies ; statuary and painting ; carnivals, religious 
 festivals, and endless processions. The fascinating rites of the 
 heathen worship found its counterpart in the Christian church ! 
 
 But other expedients equally potent were adopted. Oral con- 
 fession was invented. Every person was to confess his sins to the 
 priest, and thus put him into possession of everything which could 
 enslave a man to him. Who was so pure in life and thought, that, 
 after having unbosomed himself to his confessor — made him the de- 
 pository of his most secret thoughts, his weakest or worst actions — 
 dare any more to oppose or offend him! But the chains of shame 
 and fear were not all ; those of hope were added. The priest had 
 not only power to hear sins, but to pardon them. He could shut 
 up in hell, or let out ; he was not content with enslaving his follower 
 in this world — he carried on his influence to the next, and even 
 invented a world, from the tortures of which no man could escape 
 without his permission. 
 
 Frauds were invented, to besot and blind the popular spirit.* 
 Monks, bishops, w^arriors, and men of the worst characters, nay of 
 neither character nor real existence, as St. George and his dragon, 
 were canonized, and their lives written in a manner most calculated 
 to beguile the ignorance of the times. Shrines were set up and 
 churches dedicated to them, where people might pray for their aid. 
 Dreams and miracles were pretended to throw light on the places of 
 their burial ; solemn processions were set on foot to discover and 
 take them up ; and the most miraculous powers were attributed to 
 them. Bones were buried, and afterwards pretended to be found, 
 and declared by Heaven to belong to saints and martyrs t and bits 
 of bone, hairs, fragments of filthy rags, and other vile things ; chips 
 of the true cross, etc., were sold at enormous prices, as capable of 
 working cures and effecting blessings of all kinds. 
 
 Rumours were spread of prodigies to be seen in certain places ; 
 robbers were converted into martyrs ; tombs falsely given out to be 
 those of saints ; and many monks travelled from place to place, 
 not only selling, with matchless impudence, their fictitious relics, 
 but deluding the eyes of the people with ludicrous combats with 
 spirits and genii. 
 
 Pilgrimages to distant holy places were hit upon, as a strong 
 means to employ the minds and enslave the affections of numbers ; 
 
 * See the singular history of the tricks played off upon Jetzer in 
 'the larger work, p. P26, 
 
POPERY. 
 
 17 
 
 and Crusades, those preposterous and tremendous wars whose 
 details are filled with the most exquisite miseries, and most abhor- 
 rent crimes and licentiousness, were promoted, as potent means of 
 employing the power and exhausting the treasures of kings. 
 In those crusades, millions of miserable wretches — men, women, 
 and children— the low, the ignorant, the idle, the dissolute, — after 
 wandering from kingdom to kingdom, the wonder and horror of the 
 inhabitants, were consumed ; and fpom those crusades in return, 
 loads of relics were poured out of Syria over all Europe. Indul- 
 GENXES were granted for the commission of crime, and past sins 
 pardoned for money and gifts of lands : and Purgatory ! that most 
 subtle and profitable invention of priestcraft, was contrived, to give 
 the church power over both living and dead. 
 
 But the most potent and frightful engine of the papacy, was the 
 Inquisition. Its history is one of the most awful horrors that can 
 affright the human soul. Its holy officers — its officers of 
 MERCY, as they were called in that spirit of devilish abuse of Chris- 
 tianity in which they were conceived, were speedily to be found in 
 various countries of Europe, Asia, and America, but distinguished 
 most fearfully in Spain. These horrors have been made familiar to 
 the public mind by the writers of romance, especially by Mrs. 
 Ratcliffe ; but all the powers of romance have not been able to 
 overcolour the reality. Spain has always gloried in the supremacy 
 of her inquisition. She has strenuously contended with the pope for 
 it ; and has deemed it so great an honour, as to parade the auto- 
 da-fe, as one of her most fascinating spectacles. Her kings, her 
 queens, her princes, and her nobles, have assembled with enthusiasm 
 to witness them. So great a treat did the Spaniards formerly con- 
 sider thern, that Llorente states, that on February 25th, 1560, one 
 was celebrated by the inquisitors of Toledo, in which several per- 
 sons were burnt, with some effigies, and a great number subjected to 
 penances ; and this was performed to entertain the new queen, Eliza- 
 beth, daughter of Henry IL of France, a girl of thirteen years of 
 age, accustomed in her own country to brilliant festivals suitable to 
 her rank and age. So completely may priestcraft brutalize a nation, 
 and so completely has this devilish institution stamped the Spanish 
 character, naturally ardent and chivalric, with gloomy horror, that 
 both Llorente and Limborch represent ladies witnessing the ago- 
 nizing tortures of men and women expiring in flames, with trans- 
 ports of delight. 
 
 The original ostensible object of this bloody institution was to 
 extirpate the Jews, Moors, and Morescoes ; and so successful were 
 its efforts, that according to Llorente, in 119 years, it deprived Spain 
 of 3,000,000 of inhabitants. The Reformation appeared, and 
 found the monsters thus engaged, fresh employment. The doc- 
 trines of Luther appear not to have made so rapid a progress in 
 any other country as in Spain. The inquisition had the satisfaction 
 of extinguishing the revived flame of Christianity there, and of 
 c 
 
18 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 reducing Spain to its present deplorable condition. All the fury and 
 strength of that great engine of hell was brought to bear upon it : 
 its auto-da-fe was crowded with Lutheran heretics ; its fires con- 
 sumed them 5 its secret cells devoured them— men, women, children 
 were swept into its unfathomable gulf of destruction. Priestly 
 malice triumphed. 
 
 To such gigantic stature of power did this dismal institution 
 attain, that no one was safe from its fangs. 'I'he confiscation of the 
 goods of its victims whetted the appetite of priestly avarice so 
 keenly, that a man, to be guilty of heresy, had only to be rich. 
 Llorente gives several cases of English merchants, who were 
 pounced upon by it, in defiance of the law of nations. 
 
 We have not space to detail the atrocities committed by this odious 
 institution. Limborch has given the following vivid summary of its 
 operations: — “ In countries where the inquisition has existed, the 
 bare idea of its progress damped the most ardent mind. Formidable 
 and ferocious as the rapacious tiger, who from the gloomy thicket 
 surveys his unsuspecting prey, until the favoured moment arrives in 
 which he may plunge forward and consummate its destruction, the 
 inquisition meditates in secret and in silence its horrific projects. In 
 the deepest seclusion, the calumniator propounds his charge ; with 
 anxious vigilance the creatures of its power regard its unhappy vic- 
 tim. Not a whisper is heard, or the least hint of insecurity given, 
 until at the dead of night a band of savage monsters surround the 
 dwelling ; they demand an entrance : — upon the inquiry, by whom 
 is that required? the answer is, ‘ the holy office.’ In an instant all 
 the ties of nature appear as if dissolved, and either through the com- 
 plete dominion of superstition, or the conviction that resistance would 
 be vain, the master, parent, husband, is resigned. From the bosom 
 of his family, and bereft of all domestic comforts, he enters the in- 
 quisition house ; its ponderous doors are closed, and hope excluded 
 — perhaps for ever. Immured in a noisome vault, surrounded by 
 impenetrable walls, he is left alone ; a prey to all the sad reflections 
 of a miserable outcast. If he venture to inquire the reason of his 
 fate, he is told, that silence and secresy are here inviolable. Accus- 
 tomed to the conveniences of social life, and perhaps of a superior 
 station, he is now reduced to the most miserable expedients. The 
 most menial offices now devolve upon him; while the cruel re- 
 flection obtrudes itself upon his mind, that his family may, ere long, 
 be reduced to indigence by an act of inquisitorial confiscation.” 
 
 The punishment of confiscation is followed, as of neces^ry con- 
 sequence, by the person being rendered for ever infamous, — that is, 
 he is incapable of holding office of any kind ; his children are disin- 
 herited, and made infamous, or incapable to the second generation by 
 the father'’s side, and to the first by the mother’s. All his relations 
 are liberated from their obligations to him ; his children are freed 
 from his control ; his wife is liberated from her marriage vows ; his 
 servants or vassals are freed from their servitude ; he is compelled to 
 
POPERY. 
 
 19 
 
 answer inquiries of others on any affair, but no one need answer him. 
 He has no protection from the laws, and no remedy against op- 
 pression or injustice. 
 
 The secret examinations, the stripping, the modes of torture, and 
 the celebration of the auto-da-fe, are ail described in the larger work, 
 but we must dispense with the description of these revolting acts, in 
 this abridgment. We have given enough of them to exhibit the 
 diabolical spirit of the inquisition, and of the sacerdotal monsters 
 who were its originators and upholders. 
 
 The victims who have suffered death or ruin from this diabolical 
 institution, in various quarters of the world, are estimated at some 
 millions. Llorente gives, from actual examination of its own re- 
 cords, the following statement of the victims of the Spanish Inqui- 
 sition alone: 
 
 Number of persons who were condemned, and perished 
 in the flames . 31,912 
 
 Effigies burnt . . . ..... 17,659 
 
 Condemned to severe penances .... 291,450 
 
 341,021 
 
 How all this could be built on the foundation of Christianity 
 might be wondered at; but it should never be forgotten, that the 
 Bible was locked up, and everything directed to the acquisition of 
 power and gain. 
 
 Let every man who hesitates to set his hand to the destruction of 
 state religions, look on this picture of all enormities that can disgrace 
 our nature, and reflect that such is the inevitable tendency of all 
 priestcraft. It is said we see nothing so bad now ! And why 1 
 Because man has got the upper hand of his tyrant, and keeps him in 
 awe, — not because the nature of priestcraft is altered ; and yet, let 
 us turn but our eyes to Catholic countries, Spain, Portugal, Italy, 
 and the scene is lamentable ; and even in our own country, where 
 free institutions check presumption, and the press terrifies many a 
 monster from the light of day, — we behold things which make our 
 hearts throb with indignation.. 
 
20 
 
 PART II. 
 
 OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ORIGIN AND CHARACTER OF THE E^^GLISII REFORMED CHURCH. 
 
 It might have been supposed, that when so large a portion of 
 Europe had been aroused to burst asunder the chains by which the 
 papacy had bound them, they would have taken care so to organise 
 the reformed church or churches, as to prevent the reassumplion of 
 temporal power by the sacerdotal order. But this would be to ex- 
 pect more than past experience will justify. It is much easier to 
 abridge such a power as that at which we have glanced, in the pre- 
 ceding chapter, than to extinguish it altogether ; besides which it 
 may be remarked, that the mind of man is too much enslaved and 
 debased by such a system, to perceive at once the whole extent of 
 the evil under which it labours, and is rendered too infirm of pur- 
 pose to adopt all the severe measures which it even perceives 
 necessary, to prevent the recurrence of the evil from which it has 
 suffered. 
 
 Such has been the fate, more or less, of all the reformed churches 
 of Europe — but especially of the Church of England, the least 
 reformed and the most enslaved of them all. 
 
 The reformation in England was not the result of any conviction 
 or enthusiasm in the popular mind ; but was brought about by the 
 arbitrary acts and turbulent passions of that libidinous and bloody 
 monster, Henry VIII. When it suited his purpose or gratified his 
 caprice, he was the advocate of the pope ; when otherwise, he was 
 his most desperate antagonist. He threw off the papal yoke, not to 
 give the church freedom, but to make it his own servant and slave. 
 He declared himself to be the head of the church in these realms. 
 The despotism remained, though the despot was changed. The 
 will of this regal monster was the sole law. He declared that his 
 proclamation was tantamount to law, and acted upon it, both civilly 
 and ecclesiastically. He dealt out royal murders abundantly. The 
 papists he killed, because they did not go far enough for him ; the 
 protestants, because they would go too far. He made his par- 
 liament pass, in 1539, the famous Bloody Statute, or Statute of 
 Six Articles, by which the actual Presence was declared to be in 
 the sacramental bread and wine ; priests were forbidden to marry ; 
 vows of chastity were to be observed ; and mass and auricular con- 
 fession maintained. This act was in force for the remainder of his 
 reign ; and those who opposed it were to suffer death. Yet this was 
 called, a reformation ! The royal reformer issued his fiat, that no 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH : 
 
 21 
 
 doctrine should be believed contrary to the Six Articles ; that no 
 person should sing or rhyme contrary to it ; that there should be no 
 book possessed by any one against the holy sacrament ; no anno- 
 tations, or preambles in Bibles and Testaments in English ; that no 
 women, artificers, apprentices, journeymen, servingmen, husband- 
 men, or labourers, should read the New Testament in English ; 
 that nothing should be taught contrary to the king’s instructions. 
 Yet this was a reformation ! During this time, nothing could be 
 more despicable than the sycophancy and subserviency of the 
 clergy. There was but one bishop (Fisher, of Rochester), who 
 refused to take the oath of supremacy— and for this he was be- 
 headed, with Sir Thomas More.* The rest, though they were as 
 hostile to the change as possible, as full of bigotry as ever, satisfied 
 themselves with giving all the opposition they could to the spread 
 of real reformation amongst the people. 
 
 The parochial livings were filled with friars and monks, who had 
 been turned out of their convents, in order to save government the 
 forty-five shillings which had been stipulated to be given to every 
 such friar and monk at the dissolution of their houses. These were 
 so ignorant, that they could not read a syllable ; and so habitually 
 luxurious, that, says Giraldus Cambrensis, “ the monks of St. 
 Swithin’s came in a body to complain to Henry, that his commis- 
 sioners had reduced their fare till there was no living. Henry 
 inquired into this lamentable reduction, and found that they had 
 been accustomed at dinner to thirteen dishes, and the commissioners 
 had reduced them to ten : on which Henry exclaimed, with his 
 usual oath — * By God’s teeth ! my good fellows, he hath left you 
 too many ; for I myself have but three ! ’ ” 
 
 Edward VI. was well disposed, but he was only a child ; and 
 Cranmer and Ridley, with a few privy-counsellors, taking advan- 
 tage of the Act of Supremacy passed by Henry VIII., proceeded 
 to model a religious establishment according to their own notions. 
 They were doubtless well-intentioned men, for they afterwards tes- 
 tified their sincerity in their own blood ; but they had been nurtured 
 in the cruel bosom of papacy, and were far enough from having 
 
 * One of the most signal instances, in history, of the inconsis- 
 tency of human nature. He was the glory of the age in which he 
 lived, for his brilliant genius, his refined wit, and his integrity of 
 mind, — he would rather lose his head than the approbation of his 
 conscience. Yet this man was at once a declaimer against per- 
 secution, and a bloody persecutor himself. In his character of 
 Lord Chancellor and Privy Counsellor, he was excessively severe 
 upon those who came before him for violation of the king’s Bloody 
 Statute, and even had poor Bainton to his own house, and there 
 whipped and tortured him with his own hand, because he could not 
 persuade him by reasoning to alter his opinions. 
 
22 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 truly learned the merciful gospel of Christ. So little had they ad- 
 vanced out of the Romish darkness when they began to legislate for 
 Christianity, that they persecuted the venerable Hooper, because he 
 could not consent to wear the canonical copes, and tippets, and 
 rochets, which afterwards occasioned so much suffering. He would 
 have declined the bishopric of Gloucester; but, no ! — he must botli 
 be a bishop, and wear those abhorred robes ; and till he consented, 
 was harassed, menaced, and finally imprisoned. So miserable was 
 the progress made in real reformation in this boasted reign ! The 
 celebrated Bucer, divinity professor at Cambridge, drew up and pre- 
 sented to the king, a work containing a plan of ecclesiastical refonn, 
 of strict discipline, likely to keep the clergy in order. The book 
 made a great impression on the king’s mind, but he was already 
 sinking in health, and it never was proceeded in. 
 
 Mary succeeded, and deluged the country with protestant blood ; 
 and those priests who had pretended conversion to keep their livings, 
 now fell back to avowed popery, and became terrible persecutors ; 
 especially bishop Bonner, one of the most sanguinary wretches in 
 history — who, with the characteristic selfishness of all tyrants, when 
 confined in the Tower in Edward’s reign, for his insolent intracta- 
 bility, sent this message to his servants, that he gave them to the 
 devil, the devil, and all the devils, if they did not send him plenty 
 of pears and puddings;” a man who now thrust the best spirits of 
 the age into his coal-hole, and tortured them in his own house, with 
 a fiendish delight, in agonies scarcely to be paralleled by the worst 
 of Spanish inquisitors. 
 
 The imperious Elizabeth followed, and enforced the worship and 
 discipline of the Church, by the famous but intolerant Act of Uni- 
 formity. Objections for conscience sake, were put down by the 
 unanswerable arguments of fire and fagot. The reformed religion 
 was stained with blood ; liberty of conscience was denied, as for- 
 merly ; and all the horrors of the Romish persecution were revived. 
 She had Edward’s forty-two articles revised, and reduced to thirty- 
 nine, as they now stand ; bringing them as near to popery as pos- 
 sible, and expecting every one to conform entirely to them. She 
 declared that she did not want to look into people’s hearts ; — they 
 might think as they pleased ; but they should outwardly, and in all 
 points, conform to her plan; with her, hypocrites and good subjects 
 were synonimous ! Whoever dared to differ in doctrine, or rites, 
 she visited with the utmost severity. The distress this produced, 
 was general and extreme. Numbers of worthy clergymen were 
 expelled from their livings, and they and their families brought to 
 ruin. They w’ere fined and imprisoned, and that to death. 
 
 The inquisition was as completely set up in England as in Italy, 
 Spain, or any of the old priest-ridden countries ; and how its powers 
 were exercised may be seen in too fearful colours on the broad page 
 of J^lnglish history, and in the more full relations of the non-con- 
 formists and dissenters. Clergymen who could not mould their 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 23 
 
 consciences at the will of the state, were ejected without mercy from 
 their livings, and they and their families exposed to all the horrors 
 of poverty, contempt, and persecution. So far as the regular clergy, 
 however, were concerned, the grievance was not great; for these 
 acted according to the dictates of priestly cunning, accommodated 
 their consciences to their comfortable condition, and came over in a 
 body to the new state of things. The bishops, Hume says, having 
 the eye of the world more particularly on them, made it a point of 
 honour, and having, by a sickly season, been reduced to fourteen, 
 all these, except the bishop of LlandalF, refused compliance, and 
 were degraded. Out of the 10,000 parishes of England, only eighty 
 vicars and rectors, fifty prebendaries, fifteen heads of colleges, twelve 
 archdeacons, and as many deans, sacrificed their livings to their 
 religious principles ; a fact rendered more striking by a future one, — 
 that of the Presbyterian clergy, who had obtained livings during the 
 Commonwealth, and who, on the passing of the Act of Uniformity 
 again, on the restoration of Charles II., resigned, to the number of 
 2000, in one day, though the most able of them had been tempted 
 with offers of bishoprics, deaneries, and other preferments. 
 
 Such was the formation of the church of England ! Can any 
 one wonder that it needs thorough reform ; not merely of its abuses, 
 which are monstrous, but a reform and entire remodelling of its 
 canons ? While all around it has been progressing in knowledge 
 and better understanding of the rights of conscience, and the true 
 nature of Christianity, she has been standing still, covered with all 
 her deformities, with the mark of the beast blazing on her forehead, 
 and the filthy rags of cast-off popery fluttering about her. While 
 every clearer eye has been regarding this patchwork progeny of 
 priestcraft and barbarism with mingled wonder, ridicule, and abhor- 
 rence, she has been hugging herself in the fond idea, that she was 
 the queen of beauty, and the perfection of holiness ! While the 
 civilized world has been moving about her, casting off the mind, the 
 manners, and the harsh tenets of feudal rudeness ; she has lain coiled 
 up in the bright face of advancing day, like some huge slimy dragon, 
 cast up by the sea of ages, in the midst of a stirring and refined city ^ 
 and has only exhibited signs of life by waving her huge scaled tail, 
 in menace of her foes, and by stretching out her ten-taloned paws to 
 devour a tenth of the land. 
 
 The history of the Society of Friends is full of the most singular 
 persecutions on the part of the clergy, and of the magistracy, 
 incited by them. The state clergy saw, that if this body succeeded, 
 priestcraft was gone for ever; — royalty, on its restoration, saw that 
 it would lop off the right arm of despotism, — a craft, paid to preach 
 the divine rights of kings, and passive obedience of the people. 
 Seeing how a royal religion disturbed the church of Christ, and 
 neutralized all its benign doctrines, they determined, cost what it 
 would, to hold no communion with it. They would neither marry 
 at its altars, nor bury in its soil ; and for this their dead w'ere torn 
 
24 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 out of their graves by the parish priests and their minions ; and they 
 were not only heavily fined and imprisoned for their marrying, but 
 their children were declared bastards. The whole fury of the 
 executive power was let loose upon them. They were given up a 
 prey to vindictive parsons, and ignorant, priest-ridden justices of the 
 peace ; and to the whole greedy race of informers, constables, and 
 the lowest of the rabble. In 1670, the king issued an order in 
 council, signed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and thirteen 
 others, commanding Christopher Wren, esq., to pull down their 
 meeting-house at Horsleydown ; which was done, and the materials 
 sold. The same was done to other meeting-houses. But the 
 Friends still met on the ruins of those places, where they were 
 assailed by soldiers, who fell upon them with the butt-end of their 
 muskets, and maltreated them so dreadfully, that the blood lay in the 
 streets, and several died in consequence. Old age was not spared ; 
 the women in particular were treated with brutal indecency, and 
 finally, all their places of worship were nailed up, and soldiers set to 
 keep them away. Nothing, however, could prevent them meeting ; 
 and often, especially all the hard winter of 1683, they collected in 
 the streets, and suffered incredible hardships from the cold, the sol- 
 diers, and the mob. They were ruinously fined under Elizabeth’s 
 statute, of 20/. a month. Twenty-eight individuals alone paid 
 520/. 15s. 2d. Their houses were broken open, without ceremony, 
 with sledge-hammers and screws, and their property plundered 
 by wholesale, under the plea of collecting tithes, church-rates, and 
 fines for non-attendance at church. One parson declared, “ he 
 would rather see all the Quakers hanged than loose a sixpence 
 by them.” For shillings they generally took pounds, leaving, in 
 many instances, not a tool or a piece of goods for a man to pursue 
 his trade by ; not a horse or a plough for him to wmrk his farm with. 
 This one specimen may serve as an illustration of the general 
 mode : 
 
 The fines for non-attendance of church at Bristol, for 
 
 38 men, for eleven months £ 8,360 
 
 For two of their wives, for the same time . . . 220 
 
 For 111 men, for three months .... 6,660 
 
 For 40 of their wives, for the same time . . . 1,200 
 
 £16,440 
 
 The amount of property taken from them for these fines, church- 
 rates, tithes, and some few military demands, but chiefly the former, 
 given in to the society, from 1655 to 1833, is 1,192,820/. Besides 
 this, a great quantity of property was given in with no value 
 attached to it, which, with the utter ruin of trade, and wanton 
 destruction of the effects of many families, cannot amount to less than 
 one million and a half — a sum which is still increasing, from 
 distraints on this small Society, at an average of 14,000/. a year. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 25 
 
 These sufferings lasted for thirty years ; and the simple, and mere 
 matter-of-fact recital of them, fills two thick folio volumes, contain- 
 ing upwards of 1400 closely printed pages. They consist of every 
 imaginable species of outrage and insult, petty vexation, and ago- 
 nizing suffering ; every species of legal and illegal plunder ; loss of 
 estates, friends, liberty, and life itself ; such as the same number of 
 Englishmenscarcely ever suffered, or suffered with such invincible firm- 
 ness. In London they filled the prisons in suffocating crowds, where, in 
 1662, twenty died, and seven more soon after their liberation, in con- 
 sequence of their treatment; in 1664, twenty-five more, and in the 
 following year, fifty-two others. Through the whole kingdom the 
 same inhuman persecutions were practised; and the number which 
 perished under them was 369. 
 
 To escape from this, William Penn led on his persecuted brethren 
 to America, and founded one of the states of that noble country, 
 which has now arisen to a pitch of prosperity which is the natural 
 fruit of liberty. America stands forth as an every-day opprobrium 
 on priestcraft, and as a proof of the utter uselessness and impolicy 
 of clerical establishments. 
 
 Charles II., on his restoration, renewed all the persecutions of his 
 bloody race. He pursued the Scotch Covenanters to the mountains 
 and morasses, with fire and sword ; enacting all the horrors of racks, 
 thumb-screws, and the iron boot, as may be seen vividly detailed in 
 Sir Walter Scott’s “ Tales of a Grandfather,” and “ Old Mortality.” 
 — Neale says, “ The writer of the Preface to Mr. De Laune’s Plea 
 for Nonconformists, says, that De Laune was one of near eight 
 THOUSAND who had perished in prison in the reign of Charles II. ; 
 and that, merely for dissenting from the church in some points for 
 which they are able to bring good reason. As for the severe penal- 
 ties inflicted on them for seditious and riotous assemblies, designed 
 only for the worship of God, he adds, that they suffered in their 
 trades and estates, within the compass of five years, at least two 
 MILLIONS. Another writer adds, that Mr. Jeremy White had care- 
 fully collected a list of the dissenting sufferers, and of their suffer- 
 ings, and had the names of sixty thousand persons who had suf- 
 fered on a religious account, betw'een the restoration of Charles II. 
 and the revolution of king William, five thousand of whom died 
 in prison. — It is certain that, besides those who suffered in theirown 
 country, great numbers retired to the plantations and different parts 
 of America. Many transported themselves and their effects to Hol- 
 land, and filled the English churches of Amsterdam, the Hague, etc. 
 If we admit the dissenting families of the several denominations in 
 England to be one hundred and fifty thousand, and that each family 
 suffered no more than the loss of three or four pounds per annum 
 from the Act of Uniformity, the whole will amount to twelve or 
 fourteen millions ; a prodigious sum for those times. But these are 
 only conjectures. The damage done to the trade and property of the 
 nation was undoubtedly immense, and the wounds that were made in 
 
26 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 the estates of private families were deep and large ; many of whom, 
 to my knowledge, wear the scars of them to this day*.” 
 
 This is a melancholy sketch of the history of the English church ; 
 but it cannot be controverted. It is a history — as that of every state 
 religion must be — of power usurping the throne of conscience ; 
 thrusting the spirit of the people from free address to and commu- 
 nion with their JMaker, and on refusal of obedience, following them 
 with the fire and sword of persecution. 
 
 The nature of the Christian religion is essentially free ; the voice 
 of Christ proclaims to men — “ the truth shall make you free !” The 
 spirit of Christianity shrinks from the touch of the iron and blood- 
 stained hand of political rule ; it is so boundless in its aspirations, 
 and expansive in its energies, that it must stand on the broad cham- 
 paign of civil and intellectual liberty, ere it can stretch its wings 
 effectively for that flight which is destined to encompass the earth, 
 and end only in eternity. What we have detailed has been the con- 
 sequence of attempting to chain this free spirit to the car of state. 
 The history of dissent is full of these horrors: and Irela.nd, in which 
 the same system was pursued; and Scotland, that sooner than submit 
 to it, rose and stood to the death in many a mountain pass and 
 bloody valley, can testify to the same odious policy. The oppres- 
 sions and resistance of the Scottish Covenanters, — the bloody havoc 
 made amongst them by the soldiery of reformed kings and a re- 
 formed church ; and their undaunted and most picturesque celebra- 
 tion of their own simple worship, have been made immortal by Sir 
 Walter Scott. From the first to the last — from the accession of 
 James I. to the throne of England, to the expulsion of James II. 
 from that throne, a period of upwards of eighty years, the Stuarts 
 persisted in the most tyrannical endeavours to force on their native 
 country of Scotland the episcopal church ; and, in consequence, de- 
 luged that high-spirited and beautiful country with blood. Many a 
 solitary heath, many a scene of savage rocks in that land, where the 
 peasant now passes by, and only wonders at its wild silence, are yet 
 loud in the ear of heaven, in eternal complaints of the bloody and 
 domineering deeds of the English church, wrought by its advice and 
 by the hireling murderers of its royal head ; many a name — as Kil- 
 sythe, Killicranky and Bothw'ell Bridge — will rise up for ever in the 
 souls of men against her. 
 
 While power was left to the church, it persecuted and would have 
 continued to persecute. The Act of William III. put an end to 
 this; and we must henceforth look for the spirit of priestcraft in a 
 different shape. The whole course of this work has shewn that this 
 wily spirit has conformed itself to circumstances. Where unlimited 
 power was within its grasp, it seized it without hesitation, and exer- 
 cised it without mercy. Egypt, India, all ancient Asia, and all 
 feudal Europe, are witnesses of this. Where it could not act so 
 
 * Hist, of Puritans, vol. ii. pages 608-9. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 27 
 
 freely, it submitted to the spirit of the people ; and worked more 
 quietly, more unseen, but equally effectually, as in Greece and 
 Pagan Home. England, after William 111., afforded no further 
 scope for imprisonment, the martyr’s flaming pile, or the bloody axe 
 of the public executioner. It was rapidly careering in a course of 
 knowledge and civilization, which made men acquainted with their 
 rights, and has eventually lifted this nation to the proudest position 
 ever occupied by any people in the whole history of the world. The 
 established clergy, therefore, had nothing to do but to secure the full 
 enjoyment of their revenues, and that parochial influence with which 
 they were invested; and the consequence is, that, in the noblest na- 
 tion of the earth, they have become the richest body of priests and 
 the most apathetic towards the people, from whom their wealth is 
 drawn. If we look at the dignitaries of the church, and at the de- 
 scription of the dignitaries of the papal church in its latter days of 
 universal influence, can we avoid being struck with the coincidence 
 of character 1 “ They pass their days amidst the pleasures and 
 
 cabals of courts ; and appear rather the slaves of princes, than the 
 servants of Him whose kingdom is not of this world. They court 
 glory : they aspire after riches ; while very few employ their time 
 and labour in edifying the people, or in promoting among them the 
 vital spirit of religion ; and, what is more deplorable, those bishops 
 who, sensible of the sanctity of their character, and the duties of 
 their office, distinguish themselves by zeal in the cause of virtue, 
 are frequently exposed to the malicious efforts of envy, often loaded 
 with false accusations, and involved in perplexities of various kinds.” 
 
 Does the establishment stand before us and call herself holy, and 
 meek, and beneficent, with all these crimes, all these lives, all this 
 blood and misery, on her head? Well would it have been for Ire- 
 land, well for England, well for the episcopalian church itself, if 
 some Jenny Geddes had been found, as in Edinburgh, to launch 
 her three-legged stool at the head of the clergyman when he began to 
 deal out a state liturgy ; and had been followed by the simultaneous 
 efforts of the whole people, to teach kings and priests to respect the 
 inalienable rights of conscience. 
 
 But the English church, which has been lauded by its interested 
 supporters, as a model of all that is pure, dignified, and holy, has not 
 only compelled dissent by its tyranny, but is composed, like Nebu- 
 chadnezzar’s image, of most ill-agreeing materials, and has conse- 
 quently been rent with different factions. The Tudors established 
 popish rites, and Edward VI. introduced Calvinistic doctrines. 
 These, retained by Elizabeth and James, Charles I. singularly 
 enough, sanctioned, at the same moment that, under the manage- 
 ment of his domineering Archbishop, Laud, he was carrying Armi- 
 nianism, and the claims of episcopal power, to the highest pitch, — 
 that is, the doctrine of free-will, and a prelatical despotism, destruc- 
 tive of all free-will. These circumstances, and those which followed, 
 gave the church, what Lord Chatham so expressively designated in Par- 
 liament — a Popish liturgy, a Calvinistic creed, and an Arminian clergy^ 
 
28 
 
 niSTORV OP PRIESTCTAFT : 
 
 The heterogeneous materials of the church have been strikingly 
 shewn in the various efforts made to reform her. Tillotson, Burnet, 
 Stillingfleet, Watson, Law, and Paley, made propositions to this 
 effect in their writings, which startled their brethren ; and Iloadley 
 made such a declaration of the anti-Christianity of a state religion, 
 as rent the church with years of violent controversy. By the acces- 
 sion of William and Mary, a great schism was made ; part of the 
 hierarchy adhering to the Stuart line, and refusing to swear allegi- 
 ance to the new dynasty (thus acquiring the name of Non-jurors). 
 They thus split the church into high and low, — two parties, whose 
 feuds continued till a very recent period, when the Evangelicals 
 appeared, to bear prolonged evidence to the internal destitution of 
 the principles of cohesion in the establishment. 
 
 Note.-— Much matter calculated to excite the astonishment and 
 indignation of the reader, in the history of the English church, is 
 necessarily omitted in this abridgment, but will be found in the 
 original work. 
 
 CHAPTER IL 
 
 CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND. 
 
 We have exhibited the origin and traced the progress of the re- 
 formed English church. What could be expected of a church 
 begotten in the conflict of evil passions, nurtured by crime, and sus- 
 tained by persecution, but that which has been seen ? As the tree is, 
 so are its fruits. It is an institution designed for the aggrandise- 
 ment of priests and the subjugation of the popular mind ; and the 
 means employed to secure these objects have been every way worthy 
 of them. 
 
 In order, however, to judge more correctly of the real character 
 of the English church, let us take a view of its constitution and 
 present state, as represented or admitted by its supporters, preceded 
 by an outline of what it was in its earlier days. 
 
 In a rare tract, entitled, “ Omnia Comesta a Bello,” printed in 
 1667, is given the following sketch of the constitution of the 
 church : — 
 
 The Revenue, Pomp, and State of the Prelates. 
 
 ‘‘There are two provincial Archbishops, Canterbury and York, 
 with their princely retinue, domestic chaplains, officers for tempora- 
 lities, their spiritual officers, Vicar-General, Guardian of the Spi- 
 ritualities, Dean of the Arches, with all their under-officers and 
 attendants. 
 
 “Secondly. Their Courts. 
 
 Court of Faculties. Prerogative Court. 
 
 Court of Audience. Delegates. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 29 
 
 ** There are four-and-twenty Bishops Diocesan, with their trains, 
 domestic chaplains, officers, and courts. To these belong — 
 
 26 Chancellors, and their Attendants. 24 Gentlemen Apparitors. 
 24 Registrars, with their Clerks. 120 Inferior Apparitors. 
 
 48 Proctors. 
 
 There are, under these Bishops — 
 
 60 Archdeacons ; and these have 60 Courts, to which belong— 
 Commissaries. 60 Registrars. 
 
 Officials. 120 Proctors. 
 
 Surrogates. 200 Apparitors. 
 
 “ So that the number belonging to Archbishops, Bishops, Arch- 
 deacons, and their trade, are judged to be no less than ten thousand 
 persons ; which will require for their maintenance, two hundred 
 thousand pounds per annum, reckoning them at twenty pounds a 
 man : whereas some of them have one hundred pounds, some four 
 hundred pounds, squeezed out of the poor people. A.s for their 
 standing rents, they are well known. Their lordly palaces, sump- 
 tuous houses, ecclesiastical dignities, etc. — vij. s. et modis, such is 
 their income, that it amounts, at least, to four hundred and fifty 
 thousand pounds a year. 
 
 “ They have many other ways to enrich themselves, and 
 
 IMPOVERISH the NATION: aS, 
 
 First ; By ordaining Deacons and Ministers four times a year 
 for money ; by which they put up yearly, hundreds of pounds. 
 
 “ Secondly; By instituting and inducting Parsons and Vicars 
 to benefices when they fall. For every such induction, they have 
 three pounds at the least. And in England there are 9285 parishes ; 
 so that, at the rate of one in a parish, it amounts to twenty-seven 
 thousand, eight hundred and fifty-five pounds. 
 
 “ Thirdly; By making Rural Deans yearly; and for the oath 
 taken, they pay eight shillings and sixpence. 
 
 Fourthly ; By granting licenses to the beneficed ministers to preach 
 in their own cures. Though they be ordained before, and strictly 
 commanded to preach, yet they must not do it without a license ; and 
 this license costs them ten shillings ; so that in 9285 parishes, this 
 comes to four thousand six hundred and fifty-two pounds, ten shillings. 
 
 Fifthly ; by granting — 
 
 1. Licenses to curates to preach. 
 
 2. ,, for schoolmasters to teach school. 
 
 3. ,, for parish clerks. 
 
 4. ,, to midwives, to do their office. 
 
 5. ,, to marry — which thing of itself arises to a 
 
 vast sum. 
 
 6. For absolving excommunicated persons. 
 
 7. For putting men to clear themselves by oath with their 
 compurgators. 
 
 8. For commutation of penance; for so the rich come off 
 with a round sum of money, but the poor doing their penance in 
 kind, must stand excommunicated till they have paid their fees. 
 
30 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 ‘‘ Sixthly ; By probates of wills, and granting letters of adminis- 
 tration ; which brings in constantly great sums of money. 
 
 Seventhly; 13y framing new Articles, and forcing churchwar- 
 dens to present upon oath, whereby many innocent persons are 
 brought into their courts, and squeezed, both in conscience and purse 
 (the penalty for non-attendance at church being twenty pounds a 
 month) ; and the church w’arden is squeezed also, if he do not take 
 the oath prepared for him. 
 
 “ By their Visitations for Money. 
 
 First ; Churchwardens of every parish in England, and chapel, 
 are called ; who receive a Book of Articles to present by ; and if 
 any are wanting, they are warned to appear at their courts, with 
 costs. These churchwardens pay for their Books of Articles every 
 year (though the very same) ; as also for writing their presentments 
 by a clerk (which they themselves could do, but are not permitted), 
 two shillings and fourpence ; which in 9285 parishes, cometh to 
 one thousand and fifty-eight pounds, odd money, yearly. 
 
 “ Secondly ; Ministers that are licensed, pay one shilling and 
 eight-pence, or thereabouts, for shewing their license to preach to 
 the Registrar, at every Bishop’s visitation, though seen and allowed 
 before : after that, four shillings for procuration to the Bishop ; and 
 to the gentleman apparitor, eight-pence, most pay twelve-pence. 
 
 “ I shall omit the poor curates’ suit and service at this court; 
 only let you know, that when an Archbishop comes newly to York, 
 all the Parsons and Vicars in his jurisdiction, though never so poor, 
 and their charge never so great, give him a tenth of their livings for 
 a Benevolence, to help the poor Bishop to settle himself in five or 
 six thousands a year ; and if any, yea the meanest Vicar, whose poor 
 children want bread, do through poverty omit the payment, this 
 Reverend Father doth pitifully whip him to the very bones in his 
 merciless Spiritual Court. 
 
 “ By Archdeacons’ Visitations. 
 
 “These are twice a year. At Easter Visitation they pay their 
 Paschal Rents, or Synodals, which it seems are not alike to all ; 
 some pay fifty-six, some less. At Michaelmas they pay Procura- 
 tions ; some seven shillings, some ten shillings, some less; but it is 
 judged that ministers pay yearly at Visitations five thousand pounds 
 and upwards. 
 
 “ By the vast Charges in Collegiate Churches. 
 
 “ There are twenty-six great Deans, with their attendants and 
 servants. 
 
 “544 Canons Residents, and Prebendaries, with a nuumerous 
 train of — 
 
 Vicars. 
 
 Pcti-canons. 
 
 Singing men and boys. 
 Choristers. 
 
 Organists. 
 
 Gospellers. 
 
 Epistelers. 
 
 Vergers, 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 31 
 
 “ Now this jovial crew have belonging to them about four hundred 
 thousand pounds yearly, in lands, rents, leases, and other revenues 
 and profits thereunto belonging.’’ 
 
 This is a curious picture of a reformed church in 1667 ; only 
 seven years after the restoration of Charles II., by which it regained 
 its power. Wise and good men would have been taught temperance 
 and forbearance, by the adversities and humiliations of the common- 
 wealth ; but the dignitaries of the church rushed again to the seats 
 from which they had been driven by the people, like so many hungry 
 wolves, rendered mad by their temporary abstinence, and ready to 
 prey on all that came into their power, even upon their own order, 
 “ whipping the poorest vicars to the very bones, if they failed of 
 their payments.” The whole of the cathedral property had been 
 sold by the state to private individuals; all this was reclaimed in 
 the most summary manner, and not a penny of compensation paid. 
 “ And what,” this writer goes on to ask, “ did the nation get by 
 the restoration of this hierarchy? In all other trades, men have 
 something for their money. The farmer hath good lands from the 
 gentleman for his money ; the clothier hath good wool from the 
 farmer for his money ; the merchant hath good cloth from the 
 clothier for his money ; and thus it goes round to every one’s benefit. 
 But pray, what have we got from the bishops for our money ? 
 
 “ We have all our able, godly, orthodox ministers mined and 
 beggared, and no manner of supply provided for the maintenance of 
 them and their families ; and in their rooms, in many places, a com- 
 pany of debauched, illiterate, superstitious, profane priests, which, 
 blind guides, must needs lead them that follow them to hell. 
 
 “ We have gotten most of our churchwardens perjured, that do 
 swear to present according to their Visitation Articles, and most of 
 them undone that do not swear ; although the imposing of such an 
 oath is a breach of the fundamental law of the land. If a minister, 
 never so godly, preach in a cloak, and not in a garment canonical, 
 he is bound to present him. If any person go to hear a sermon 
 from his own parish church, though there be no preaching there, and 
 though he is bound by his baptismal vow to hear preaching, this 
 man is to be presented. If a poor man hath not bread for his 
 family, but what he earneth by his daily labour, and he work on a 
 holyday, appointed by Komish institution, he is to be presented. 
 If any person coming to church, do not stand up at the Creed, do 
 not bow at the name of Jesus, do not keep his hat off all the while, 
 he must be presented. Now there are in all, threescore and fourteen 
 thousand churchwardens and sides-men in England every year; and 
 what a dreadful thing is it, to have all these yearly, either perjured 
 persecutors, or persecuted ! 
 
 “ We have gotten most of the sober, trading part of the nation 
 discouraged by citations, excommunications, writs to take them ex- 
 communicated, imprisonments upon ecclesiastical accounts. By 
 this means, thousands of families are already ruined, and many 
 
32 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT 1 
 
 hundreds are ready to leave the land, and seek some other country 
 where they may have liberty of conscience, and freedom from these 
 devouring harpies. 
 
 “We have got, instead of the gospel in the power and purity of 
 it, a service collected out of the Romish books, the Mass, Bre- 
 viary, etc. : which service of ours King James called an ill-sung 
 mass. We have got surplices, copes, tippets, chringings, etc., out 
 of the Romish rituals, so that the papists themselves call it an apish 
 imitation of the mass. We have gotten a swarm of ecclesiastical 
 officers which the Scriptures never knew, nor reformed churches never 
 owned. We have got a sort of proud prelates, of mean extract, not 
 of the highest rank for godliness, learning, and labour in the world, 
 nor the greatest champions for the reformed religion : yet very elate 
 they are, affronting our nobility, trampling upon our gentry, grinding 
 to powder all that put not into their mouths, or offer not at their 
 shrine ; insomuch that a gentleman of quality, of 3000/. per an- 
 num, speaking to one of the said prelates boldly, but with due 
 respect, the prelate, in a fume, answered — “ What, sir, do you 
 think that it is fit for every Jack gentleman to speak thus to a 
 bishop {” — deriding the gentry of our land as not worthy to speak to 
 a peevish prelate. Surely a gentleman of 500/. per annum would 
 not be allowed to speak thus to his postilion ! 
 
 “ We have gotten all manner of misery to soul and body, — 
 pla;;ue, fire, sword, universal beggary, and without seasonable 
 meicy, the total ruin of the whole kingdom.” 
 
 Such is the testimony to the fruits of restoring, in the rear of 
 monarchy, that evil spirit — the Legion of Prelacy, which had been 
 so well cast out. Let the reader bear in mind, that the sums of 
 money here mentioned are but about the fourth part of what the 
 same property would now’ produce, and it will give some curious re- 
 sults. In particular, the Dean and Chapter property still continues 
 to be valued by the clergy at about 290,000/. per annum ; whereas, 
 at that time, it was estimated at 400,000/. a year. 
 
 We will now take a survey of the church as it is at present. 
 
 Lhe King, Head of the Church, and Defender of the Faith. 
 
 We have seen the motive from which Henry VIII. determined to 
 occupy this singular station; it enabled him to appoint the bishops, 
 and keep them subservient to his own purposes. 
 
 This power has been exercised wdth the most fatal results to the 
 character of the hierarchy, and without anything but evil to religion 
 itself. The king has always looked upon the church as a public 
 sponge, through which he could suck up and squeeze out again at 
 his pleasure, the wealth of the people. The clergy have gathered 
 up the fees, and tithes, and donations given under many a pious de- 
 lusion, and the kings have put their hands into the church-box and 
 helped themselves with great delight. William the Conqueror, to 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 3:3 
 
 furnish his wars in the fourth year of his reign, took all the money, 
 jewels, and plate out of the religious houses, making a rigorous 
 search, and sparing not even the chalices and shrines. He reduced 
 the lands of the church into knights’ fees, making the bishops do 
 military service for their baronies, and expelled such as opposed the 
 measure. His son Rufus trod in his steps, and spared no manner 
 of rapine or simony. As soon as bishoprics and abbeys became 
 vacant, he seized upon all their temporalities, farmed them out to his 
 favourites, or to such as giving most for them, did not spare to rack 
 the tenants to the utmost ; not conferring the offices themselves on 
 persons of merit, but selling them to the highest bidder. Henry I. 
 continued the same custom, holding the primacy in his hands five 
 years, and regularly selling bishoprics, particularly that of Durham, 
 for 1,000/., an enormous sum in that day. Stephen, Henry II., 
 Richard I., and John, repeated all the exactions and simony on the 
 church practised by their ancestors. The Henrys and the Edwards, 
 in their continual wars, had great occasion for money, and they did 
 not fail to levy freely on the clergy, to the amount frequently of 
 50,000/. or 100,000/. at a time, — monstrous sums for those days, but 
 indicating that the church was a mine of wealth. At length 
 Henry VIII. laid his bold hand on the whole booty, and swept it all 
 into his capacious crypt, to the amount of 30,503,400/. ; the gold 
 and jewelery he estimated at one million alone ; giving back just 
 what he pleased, and making even that subject to the payment of his 
 first-fruits and tenths. Queen Anne finally took compassion on the 
 poor clergy, and was cheated by the rich out of these first-fruits and 
 tenths. All this loving intercourse of king and church, in every 
 period of our history, demonstrates that church property has always 
 been deemed state property. The king, being head of the church, 
 did what he thought proper with the cash he found in the pockets of 
 its lower members : a fact which the clergy are now anxious to get 
 rid of, raising the outciy of vested rights, that cant-word of all cor- 
 ruptionists, when government would recall what it once lent for 
 political purposes. 
 
 Next, we have two Archbishops. 
 
 For these officers in a reformed church, the advocates of the system 
 have been sorely puzzled to account. For the bishops, they could 
 find a name in the New Testament, although the name agrees but 
 little with the present office ; but for Archbishops there does not 
 exist in the Scripture even a name. They are standing monuments 
 of the wretched patchwork which was made by our kings, and called 
 a reformation. They have no duties distinct from the bishops, nor 
 does it appear that they have any jurisdiction over them. They do 
 not appoint them, and they cannot remove them. They cannot, 
 without the king’s concurrence, call them together in convocation. 
 Their sole use, therefore, seems to be “ to rear their mitred fronts in 
 courts and parliaments j” to vote in the train of ministers j to rule 
 
 D 
 
;34 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 their wide and opulent domains ; count their enormous revenues, and 
 dispose of good livings to sons, brothers, nephews, cousins, and re- 
 lations and dependents, without end, as their own interest, or the 
 interest of ministers, reserved by special agreement, may dictate. 
 
 We have also twenty-four Bishops. 
 
 The reformed church would have us believe that it is founded on 
 the Rock of ages, and organized on the strict principles of the New 
 Testament. Yet, in almost the only instance in which it has retained 
 the scriptural name, it has taken care to separate it from the scrip- 
 tural office. St. Paul tells us that a bishop must not be given to 
 filthy lucre ; but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, 
 just, holy, temperate.” The bishop of the apostolic churches was 
 synonymous with the elder and presbyter — was, in fact, the pastor of 
 a flock ; as is admitted by all the most celebrated commentators, 
 ancient and modern. Johannes Parisiensis says, tl^t when Con- 
 stantine gave temporalities to the bishops, a voice was heard from 
 heaven, crying, “ This day is poison poured into the church !” Yet 
 the English Church, which affects to be so truly apostolical, has 
 abandoned the scriptural bishops, and taken those which popery 
 borrowed of Constantine. The English bishop has not an attribute 
 in common with the apostolical. He is not the pastor of one flock, 
 diligent in preaching, and caring for the comfoit and salvation of his 
 charge. All this is devolved on the common clergy. The bishop 
 has no flock at all ; preaching does not make part of his vocation ; 
 he does not even come in contact with the clergy over whom he is 
 nominally set, except once in three years, when he makes his hurried 
 visitation to one or two of the chief towns of his diocese. His duties 
 are of a widely different nature. To sit as a judge and law-maker in 
 parliament ; to superintend his great estates, and revenues of 
 70,000/. a year, as in London ; or 30,000/,, as Durham ; to preside 
 in his court over a variety of secular matters. Yet would the mem- 
 bers of the establishment persuade us that these men are the 
 legitimate successors and representatives of the martyrs and first 
 reformers of the Anglican church ! 
 
 The words of the venerable Tyndal, are most striking : — “ Wo to 
 the realm where prelates are of the council ! As profitable are the 
 prelacy to the realm with their counsel, as wolves to the sheep, as 
 foxes to the geese ; for there is no mischief, or disorder, whether it 
 be in the temporal regiment or the spiritual, whereof they are not 
 the chief causes, and even the very foundation and spring ; so that it 
 is impossible to preach against any mischief, unless thou begin at 
 them ; or set up any reformation in the world, except they are first 
 reformed. They are as indurate asPharaoh, and therefore persecute 
 God’s word, and the preachers thereof. They stir up mischief in 
 the world, setting princes to war ; they get into the consciences of 
 kings, and persuade them what they list — neither can any king have 
 rest for thorn. 'J'liey pretend they are for God and the church, but 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH^ S'S 
 
 their secret intent is to bring all under their power ; and when they 
 are once set up on high, then are they tyrants above all tyrants. — 
 • . . Bishops that preach not, or that pieach aught save God’s 
 
 word, are none of Christ’s, nor of his anointing, but servants of the 
 beast, whose mark they bear, whose word they pieach, w’hose law 
 they maintain clean against God’s law.” 
 
 Such are the sentiments of many great lights of the English 
 Reformation ; and numerous friends of the establishment, in more 
 modern times, agree with them. Dr. King, Principal of St. Mary 
 Hall, Oxford, and author of “ Political and Literary Anecdotes of 
 his own Times,” who died in 1763, says — ** To speak freely, I 
 know nothing that has brought so great a reproach on the church of 
 England as the avarice and ambition of our bishops. Chandler, 
 bishop of Durham, Willis, bishop of Winchester, Potter, archbishop 
 of Canterbury, Gibson and Sherlock, bishops of London, all died 
 shamefully rich ; some of them worth more than 100,000/. I must 
 add to these, my old antagonist, Gilbert, predecessor to Drummond, 
 the present archbishop of York. Some of these prelates were 
 esteemed great divines, and 1 know they were learned men — but 
 they could not be called good Christians. The great wealth they 
 heaped up, the fruits of their bishoprics, and which they left to en- 
 rich their families, was not their own ; it was due to God, to the 
 church, and their poor brethren.” 
 
 Blackwood’s Magazine, the great champion of Toryism and the 
 church, in an article in Nov. 1830, on the present state of the 
 establishment, asks, — “Why is this man made a bishop? He has 
 been tutor in one family, or he is connected in blood with another,* 
 
 * Mr. Beverly gives the following list of bishops, as they were at 
 the date of the publication of his Horrida Hystrix, in 1826 : — 
 Tomline, Bishop of Winchester, tutor to Pitt. 
 
 Haye, Bristol, married a Mortlock, whose family 
 
 govern the borough of Cambridge, for the 
 Rutland interest. 
 
 Bethel, — — Gloucester, tutor to the Duke of Northumber- 
 
 land. 
 
 Bloomfield, Chester, married into the Harvey family. 
 
 Sharpe, Ely, tutor to the Duke of Rutland. 
 
 Pelham, Lincoln, brother to the Earl of Chichester. 
 
 Huntingdon Hereford, tutor to Lord Sidmouth. 
 
 Howley, London, tutor to the Prince of Orange. 
 
 Law, Bath and Wells, brother to Lord EllenWough. 
 
 To these we may now add 
 
 Grey, Bishop of Hereford, brother of Lord Grey. 
 
 Poynton, Derry, brother-in-law of Lord Grey. 
 
 Ryder, Lichfield, brother of Lord Harrowby. 
 
 Bagot, — - — Oxford, brother of Lord Bagot. 
 
 Vernon, Archbishop of York, brother of the late Lord Vernon. 
 
 d2 
 
36 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 or lie enjoys the patronage of some polluted female favourite of 
 royalty, or he is the near relative of the minister : or at the nod of the 
 premier he has been a traitor to the church, in a matter affecting her 
 existence.’' 
 
 Tf such be the nature of English episcopacy, as delineated by its 
 founders and friends ; if it exists only for purposes of state, or the 
 aggrandisement of political tools and family flatterers, to what part of 
 the system must we look for that moral discipline which a Christian 
 church requires ? Is it to the archdeacons and their deputies ? They 
 are busied in the bishop’s courts, collecting his revenues, or trans- 
 acting his secular matters of wills and licenses; and as to those 
 archidiaconal functions which have reference to the moral conduct 
 and personal duties of the parochial clergy, the Rev. Dr. Nihill, one 
 of their own body, declares, that “ any archdeacon who should at- 
 tempt to revive the full powers with which he is theoretically armed, 
 would only expose himself and the church to derision.” 
 
 Is it then to the deans and chapters we must turn ? Why, these 
 are mere excrescences in the diseased and disjointed system. They 
 have no vital connexion with any part of it. They exist only for 
 themselves ; and have been happily termed the rotten boroughs of 
 the church. The deans and chapters nominally elect the bishops ; 
 but this is mere farce — they are elected by the ministers of the 
 crown. The only real functions of the chapters are to perform 
 service in the cathedrals, and to keep them in order. For this they 
 jiossess about half a million of yearly income. Their object is to 
 draw clergymen from their own pioper livings, to cluster in idleness 
 round these great buildings ; thus aggravating the already crying sin 
 of pluralities, — which the canons of the church declare to be 
 “ execrable before God.” 
 
 In thus going through this great and imposing pageant of our 
 national establishment, crowded with its archbishops, bishops, deans, 
 archdeacons, prebendaries, vicars-general, chancellors, commissaries, 
 surrogates, registrars, proctors, apparitors, etc., etc., we can discover 
 no real system of moral discipline ; no effective connexion between 
 these ofhceis and the parish clergy. These live as the ancient 
 Danites did, “ every man doeth what seemeth good in his own eyes 
 and who shall hinder him? The archdeacon may,, if his own hands 
 are clean — which they seldom are, being generally one of those 
 “ execrable before God,” — a pluralist, a sinecurist, a non-resident, 
 most probably one of the “ sect of prebendaries,” as Cranmer 
 calls them, “ good viandei’S, too much given to belly cheer he 
 may cause the churchwardens to present such delinquents in the 
 Rishep’s Court ; and the bishop may reprimand or menace ; and 
 what will they heed? Nothing! They know that neither arch- 
 deacon nor bishop have power to eject them from their livings. 
 They boast of their independence of the people, as one of the chief 
 beauties of their system ; and they may boast of their independence 
 of the bishop, for it is equally positive. Let the bishop bring a 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 37 
 
 guilty clergyman before his tribunal ; convict and sentence him 
 to deprivation; he turns upon his diocesan with the stubborn truth, 
 that iiis living is his freehold, in many cases a purchased freehold, 
 and who shall deprive him of it ? Let attempt be made to carry the 
 sentence into effect, the delinquent will appeal from court to court, 
 till the costs amount to from four to seven thousand pounds, and 
 which he knows how to cast entirely on the bishop. Such a power 
 of expulsion is, in fact, no power at all. Bishop Porteus tried it, 
 and it has been tried in a few instances since, but prelates in general 
 know better how to spend their revenues, and so all control of the 
 clergy becomes a dead letter. 
 
 Thus, having shewn that the whole English hierarchy, with its 
 courts and officers, exists merely for splendour, for political and 
 personal objects, we must now contemplate, 
 
 The Parish Clergy. 
 
 A foreigner, well acquainted with the general character of 
 Englishmen ; who had learnt our love of freedom, the license of re- 
 mark assumed by our newspapers, and our feverish anxiety for the 
 purity of parliamentary and other elections, would stand in astonish- 
 ment when he came to inquire into the mode of appointing our 
 national teachers of religion. After having seen the jealous care 
 with which we cling to every imagined right, what must be his 
 amaze to find that we most readily abandon all right of judgment 
 in the choice of the teachers of religion, and that to the most stupid, 
 wicked, and venal of the community ! 
 
 The privilege of choosing its own ministers of religion is snatched 
 from the country, by the sordid, the ignorant, the worldly-minded ; 
 by the distant, the unknown, by anybody but itself, and yet it bears it 
 without resentment. It sees the dissenters exercising this right, and 
 flourishing under it, yet it feels no shame, and is not roused to self- 
 vindication. It sees its church livings openly sold to the highest 
 bidder, however unqualified or profligate, and the whole land thus 
 polluted with simony. 
 
 “ The commerce in the souls of men,” says Mr. Scott, in his 
 Commentary on the Revelation, “ is the most infamous of all traffics 
 that the demon of avarice ever devised, but by no means uncommon. 
 
 The slave trade, cruel, unrighteous, and hateful 
 
 as it is, is not the worst traffic of our land — for the souls of men are 
 traded for by those who take the care of them, for the sake of the 
 emoluments, and the abundance of the delicacies obtained by it ; and 
 then, either leave them to perish in ignorance, or poison them by 
 heresy, or lead them on the road to hell by a profligate example.” 
 “ A clergyman,” says the author of Ecclesiastical Reform, “ upon 
 his institution, swears that he gave not the least consideration what- 
 ever, either himself directly or indirectly, nor any person for him, 
 with his privity, knowledge, or consent, when perhaps he had been 
 
HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT I 
 
 ss 
 
 personally treating with the patron for the purchase, and even pre- 
 sent at the payment ol the money. I was witness to a notorious 
 instance, in the diocese of Lincoln, where both patron and incum- 
 bent were present at the payment ; yet the latter, a few days after, 
 took the simoniacal oath, without a scruple, and now resides upon 
 that benefice, near Atherston, in Warwickshire. ’’ 
 
 But this is a thing notorious. In general, no decency or precau- 
 tion is taken in the bargains : when there is any sense of shame, or 
 tenderness of conscience left, a man’s friend, or lawyer, buys the 
 living, and presents him to it: he has only to pay the money, and 
 swear that he has not paid it ! 
 
 “Why,” asks a writer in Blackwood’s Magazine, after a similar 
 question respecting the bishops, “ is this stripling invested with an 
 important dignity in the church ? He is the illegitimate son of a 
 member of the royal family ; or he is the same of some nobleman ; 
 or he belongs to some family which, in consideration of it, will give 
 the ministry a certain number of votes in parliament. And why is 
 this man endowed with a valuable benefice ? He has potent inte- 
 rest ; or it will prevent him giving further support to measures for 
 injuring the church ; or he has voted at an election for a ministerial 
 candidate ; or his connexions have much election influence ; or he 
 is a political tool of the ministry. . . . The disposal of church 
 
 patronage in this manner is not the exception, but the rule : it is 
 not a matter of secresy, or one which escapes observation ; it is 
 looked upon as a thing of course ; and so far has the monstrous abuse 
 been sanctioned by custom, that, while no one expects to see a 
 vacancy in the church filled according to merit, the filling of it in 
 the most profligate way scarcely prov^es reprobation 
 
 “These are some of the inevitable consequences. — In the first 
 place, the office of clergyman is sought by the very last people who 
 ought to receive it. Before it is decided that a youth shall be a bar- 
 rister, a physician, an officer in the army, or even a member of a 
 mechanical trade, it is ascertained that he possesses the requisite 
 ability and turn of mind; but his lack of these is too often the 
 reason on which it is decided that he shall be a clergyman. How- 
 ever brainless or profligate he may be, he must still enter into holy 
 orders, because his friends have property or interest in the church. 
 Perhaps they select him for it in preference to his brothers, because 
 he happens to be the dunce of the family. While the most improper 
 men are thus impelled to enter into holy orders, the most fitting men 
 are restricted from it. What can the man of talent and piety hope 
 for as a clergyman, if he be destitute of fortune and friends ? Pre- 
 ferment is to him impossible ; his merit alone is a positive bar to it. 
 He can scarcely regard a curacy as an attainable matter, — for his 
 ability might make him too popular ; his integrity might incapacitate 
 him for joining in an illegal bargain ; and his piety might bring on 
 him the imputation of evangelism. To give all this the roost com- 
 
THE IRISH CHURCH. 
 
 39 
 
 prehensive powers of mischief, almost any man may, so far as con- 
 cerns ability and character, gain admission to holy orders. A cler- 
 gyman may be destitute of religious feeling ; he may be grossly im- 
 moral ; he may discharge his duties in the most incompetent manner, 
 and lose his flock ; — he may almost do anything short of legal crime, 
 and still he will neither forfeit his living, nor draw upon himself any 
 punishment. . . . Can a single reason be urged, why this 
 
 monstrous state of things should be continued I” 
 
 This, surely, will be enough for any man of reason or feeling ; a 
 description of the church, made by its own friends, representing it 
 more pernicious, profligate, and nationally disgraceful, than any 
 church which ever existed, scarcely excepting the papal in its worst 
 days. Mr. Acaster does not hesitate to declare that, unless unhoped- 
 for reformation comes, it must speedily fall. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 THE CHURCH OF IRELAND. 
 
 However vicious may be the constitution, and gorgeous and expen- 
 sive the priesthood, of the English church, it is far exceeded, in both 
 respects, by the established church in the kingdom of Ireland. 
 
 For the government of the whole church of England, twenty-six 
 archbishops and bishops exist — for 500,000 Irish Protestants there 
 are twenty-two ! According to former returns, there are 1238 pa- 
 rochial benefices ; according to the present, 1401, in which are 860 
 resident clergymen. To provide for these archbishops and bishops, 
 who superintend about as many people as one bishop in England 
 would very well manage, it is calculated that out of 14,603,473 
 statute acres under cultivation, 13,603,473 are tithed. The glebe of 
 the parochial clergy varies from 300 to 40,000 acres. The glebe in 
 the diocese of Derry, alone, amounts to more than 17,000 acres. 
 Indeed, the glebes, it is calculated, in Derry and Kilmore alone, 
 would, if equally divided, give twenty acres to every parish in Ire- 
 land. Mr. Wakefield estimates that the property of six of the 
 bishops, when out of lease, would produce 580,000/. a-year ; — a 
 sum which would give an income of 500/. a-year for each of the 
 clergy, and a fund for the establishment of a school in every parish 
 in Ireland. But if the property of six bishops amounts to 580,000/. a 
 year, what becomes of the clerical calculation which makes the whole 
 income of the Irish church but 800,000/. ? — leaving to the whole 
 body of parochial clergy and sixteen bishops, little more than 
 200 , 000 /. 
 
40 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 The following is an extract from the returns to the House of Com- 
 mons, in February, 1824 ; — 
 
 Sees. 
 
 Acres. 
 
 Sees. 
 
 Acres. 
 
 Derry . . 
 
 . 94,836 
 
 Tuam . . 
 
 . 49,281 
 
 Armagh . . 
 
 . 63,470 
 
 Elphin. 
 
 . 31,017 
 
 Kilrnore. 
 
 . 51,350 
 
 Clogher . 
 
 . 32,817 
 
 Dublin . . 
 
 . 28,784 
 
 Cork and Ross 22,755 
 
 Meath . . 
 
 . 18,374 
 
 Cashel . 
 
 . 12,800 
 
 Ossory . 
 
 . 13,391 
 
 Killaloe 
 
 . 11,081 
 
 Total, 439,953 acres; which, at 20s. per acre, give a rental of 
 439,953/. 
 
 If we estimate the remaining ten bishoprics at one-third of the 
 amount, there is 146,651, — a rental of diocesan lands of 586,604/. 
 
 If we estimate the glebes at 100,000 acres, which is probably far 
 too little, when the glebe of Derry alone exceeds 17,000 acres, and 
 the parochial glebes vary from 300 to 40,000 acres, at 20s., here is 
 100 , 000 /. 
 
 The tithe of upwards of 13,000,000 acres, at only 2s., a tithe of 
 the rental, not of the gross produce, would be 1,300,000/ — making 
 a total of income for the Irish church, of 1,986,604/.* 
 
 * Mr. Leader, in a speech in parliament, December 15th, 1832, 
 calculating on these returns, made the amount nearly the same. If, 
 therefore, the last returns of 800,000/. be correct, we must ask, what 
 has become of a vast quantity of property 1 The same question 
 strangely presents itself to our minds, as regards the English church. 
 The editor of the Extraordinary Black Book, says, “ The returns to 
 the circular inquiries by the Board of Agriculture, make the tithe, 
 throughout the kingdom, in 1790, average, per acre,- 4s. OJd. ; in 
 1803, 5s. 3^d. ; in 1813, 7s. 9^d. Adopting the rate of tithes of 
 1803, and taking, with the Quarterly Reviewer, the land in tillage 
 at 31,795,200 acres, the whole amount of tithes collected is 
 10,267,200/.; from which, if we deduct one-third for lay-tithes and 
 tithe-free land, the amount of church tithes is 6,844,800/. per 
 annum.” If, therefore, the church tithe alone, in 1803, was nearly 
 7,000,000/., and the whole income of the church, in 1833, is but 
 about THREE MILLIONS AND A HALF, whcrc, wc must demand, has an 
 immense amount of church property vanished ? Nothing will ever 
 elicit the real amount of church revenue, except a lay commission: 
 and the kicking of the Tories and the Church against the present 
 demand by ministers for a return of tithes, strengthens this convic- 
 tion. Should any one think this opinion unjust to the clergy, we 
 refer them to the returns of the Commissioners of public Charities, 
 which exhibit the clergy as the most wholesale and unscrupulous 
 betrayers of their trust in these endowments ; having, in a majority 
 of instances, engrossed to themselves the revenues bequeathed to the 
 poor, to teach the young, and provide for the old. 
 
THE IRISH CHURCH. 
 
 41 
 
 As women’s fortunes are said to be paid in sixpences, so when the 
 incomes of the clergy are returned to government, they seem to be 
 calculated in farthings, or something less. Tithe and glebe seem 
 suddenly to lose their natural value, surplice fees and fines shrink 
 into insignificance. Yet these fines are pretty things, though they 
 do not always amount to so much as the present Bishop of Durham 
 is stated, on the authority of Mr. Beverly, to have received of Mrs. 
 Beaumont, for the renewal of the lease of her lead mines — 72,000f. 
 
 But, admitting that in consequence of the low rate of clerical 
 leases, of waste land, of lay impropriation, and of the popular inabi- 
 lity or repugnance to pay tithes, the income of the church falls far 
 , below this estimate ; the question, so far as the country is concerned, 
 is the same. Here is a monstrous amount of property appropriated 
 to a certain purpose ; and what good is done ? — What good, indeed, 
 as it regards Ireland?— A prodigious waste of property (for in addi- 
 tion to all the rest, it appears that, at different times since the 
 Union, about half a million has been voted to augment poor livings), 
 only to render the name of Protestant hateful to that nation, by the 
 laziness, non-residence, and tithe-exactions of the clergy of a church, 
 which the Edinburgh Review, some years ago, happily compared to 
 an Irish regiment of volunteers, which consisted of sixteen lieute- 
 nant-colonels, two drummers, and one private ! The same journal 
 has well remarked, that “ whatever may be the supposed effects of a 
 richly-endowed church, in maintaining a particular creed, it is evi- 
 dently not the machine for the conversion of a people.” If Pro- 
 testantism is to prosper in Ireland, it must not come before the 
 people in the shape of a corporation, chartered in opposition to the 
 predominant feelings of the country, and endowed with a vast por- 
 tion of the people’s wealth ; it must not come in the shape of two- 
 and-twenty archbishops and bishops, to superintend some few 
 hundred clergymen, on incomes of 10,000/. a-year ; in the shape of 
 tithe-fed clergymen without parishes, parishes without churches, and 
 churches without people; in the shape of men who profess to be 
 teachers of Christian meekness and love, but are seen only as zealous 
 collectors of tithes; in the shape of tithe-proctors, with troops of 
 soldiery at their heels ; in the shape of noonday exaction, and mid- 
 night rataliation and revenge ; in short, of wealth and violence on 
 the one hand, and destitution and despair on the other. If it come 
 really to prosper and to bless, it must come as Christ himself came 
 — as a free personification of disinterested kindness ; zealous love 
 for the souls of men, rather than their purses ; active endeavour to 
 soothe the irritation and enlighten the minds of the poor ; it must be 
 offered to men’s hearts, but not thrust upon their shoulders ; it must 
 stand before the public eye, as a thing to be chosen or refused ; as 
 a thing which invites observation, and can bear it ; as a thing which 
 obviously has no interest but what is blended with the whole happi- 
 ness of man ;— whose nobility is so striking, and whose beauty so 
 attractive, that hearts are drawn to its embraces, not crushed 
 
42 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT *. 
 
 l)eneath its tread. The system of compulsion and lavish endowment 
 has been tried long enough ; long enough has state religion, to use 
 Burke's sophistical metaphor, reared its mitred front in courts and 
 parliaments its effects are before the public, in characters of fire 
 and blood ! Instead of peace, we have horrible anarchy — instead 
 of the milk of human kindness, deadly exasperation, and relentless 
 murder. In God’s name let us see what the system of the apostles 
 will now do ! — a free offer,— an open hand, — and a zealous heart ! 
 —a system less of the bag and scrip, than of virtues and arguments 
 that address themselves to the wants, the understanding, and the 
 generosity of a generous nation. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 WEALTH OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 We have only glanced incidentally at some of the sources of 
 ecclesiastical revenue. We may now more particularly notice this 
 important item in the catalogue of evils pertaining to the English 
 Church. 
 
 The writers on behalf of the clergy insist that their opponents 
 greatly exaggerate the amount of the ecclesiastial revenues ; and 
 aver, that if they were equally divided, they would give but about 
 112/. per annum to each clergyman. The British or Clerical 
 Magazine (March 1822) admits, from the Parliamentary Returns, 
 that it would be 200/. per annum.* If this be correct, what a shame 
 it is, that in a church so economically provided, so many individuals 
 should be allowed to wallow in wealth and idleness. What a 
 scandal is it, that in such a slenderly beneficed system, there should 
 be many a parish priest who holds from 1000/. to 5000/. a-year ; 
 and that the scale of payment to its dignitaries should stand thus, 
 according to their own shewing : — 
 
 Archbishop of Canterbury 
 York 
 
 Bishop of Durham . 
 
 London 
 
 I Winchester 
 
 ■Ely 
 
 £27,000 a-year. 
 10,000 — 
 
 17.000 — 
 
 14.000 — 
 
 14.000 — 
 
 12.000 — ■ 
 
 5.000 — 
 
 3.000 
 
 Nine others, on an average 
 The rest, on an average . 
 
 But if we take, as the basis of our calculations, the value of the 
 bishoprics as given in Liber Regis, they would appear as below. 
 Those estimates were made when labour was a penny a day ; now 
 it is twenty-four pence ; so that if we place pounds instead of 
 shillings; that is, an advance of twenty fold, we shall make a 
 
 The present Parliamentary Returns make it about 287/. 
 
THE IRISH CHURCH. 
 
 43 
 
 moderate calculation, according to the increase in the value of 
 general property ; and if of general property, why not of that of 
 the church! When this scale is applied to parochial livings whose 
 income is well known, the result has been wonderfully accurate. 
 The bishop of London’s income will alone form an exception ; for 
 according to the statement of Mr. Baring in Parliament, it has 
 increased seventy-fold, and by the falling in of leases, will soon be 
 a hundred fold. 
 
 Archbishop of Canterbury 
 
 York 
 
 £56,650 a-year. 
 23,200 — 
 36,420 — 
 70,000 — 
 57,479 — 
 42,698 — 
 27,700 — 
 10,000* — 
 
 Bishop of Durham . 
 
 London . 
 
 Winchester 
 
 Salisbury 
 
 The rest, on an average 
 The church has never been indifferent to the doctrine, that ‘‘ god- 
 liness is great gain.” There is nothing in which the spirit of 
 priestcraft has shewn itself so grossly in the English clergy, as in 
 their appropriation of what is called Queen Anne’s Bounty. The 
 most shameful selfishness and dishonesty mark the whole affair. 
 The Edinburgh Review, in an able article (No. LXXV), made a 
 very salutary exposition of this business. Let the reader take this 
 condensed view of it ; — 
 
 * Mr. Archdeacon Wilkins, in a virulent attack upon the History 
 of Priestcraft, having charged me with overstating the property and 
 income of the church, as proved by “ the fuller and more correct 
 estimates of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,” is thus replied to, 
 in the “ Vindication;” — It was but last week that his Lordship 
 confessed that his ecclesiastical estimates had misled him ! I felt 
 convinced that this would be the case ; first, from the wondrously 
 small sum made of it by clerical calculation, as opposed to all 
 other calculations ; and secondly, by the temptation of the clergy to 
 do so ; and by their known carelessness of truth. Start not at the 
 imputation — I shall presently shew you are not an exception — and 
 I shall shew, moreover, other curious matter. I doubt the accuracy 
 of the clerical returns on this ground : — when the government 
 circular was sent to the clergy, demanding an exact and faithful 
 return of their incomes, then did these conscientious men set eagerly 
 to work to concert how this return was to be made, and how it was 
 to be made to appear as small as possible. These matters will be 
 found particularly discussed in the numbers of the British Maga- 
 zine for June, July, and Sept. 1832. — One man seems wonderfully 
 aggrieved that he is not permitted, by the queries of the Church 
 Revenue Commission, to deduct from his income, before given in, 
 the salary of the curate ; the poor’s-rates that his tithe-holders pay 
 for him ; and a rent for his house ; but thinks he may venture to 
 
44 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 “ It is well known that, by the statute of Henry Vlll. chap. 3, 
 the first-fruits and tenths of spiritual preferments (which had for- 
 merly been paid to the Pope, or some other spiritual person) were 
 given to the king. The first-fruits were the revenues and profits for 
 one year, of every such preferment, and were to be satisfied, or 
 compounded for on good security, by each incumbent, before any 
 actual or real possession, or meddling with the profits of a benefice. 
 The tenths w^ere a yearly rent of a tenth part of all the revenues and 
 emoluments of all preferments, to be paid by each incumbent at 
 Christmas. These revenues were, as the statute phrases it, united 
 and knit to the imperial crown for ever ! ]3y the same statute a 
 
 provision was made for a commission to be issued by the king’s 
 highness, his heirs and successors, from time to time, to search for 
 the just and true value of the said first-fruits and profits ; and 
 similar means were provided for ascertaining the value of tenths. 
 In consequence of this statute, which was suspended during the 
 papistical reign of Mary, but recovered by the 1st of Elizabeth, a 
 valuation was made, which is supposed to have been at the time an 
 accuiate one, of the yearly profits of the ecclesiastical preferments : 
 and, according to this valuation, the first-fruits and tenths were, as 
 the 1st of Elizabeth has it, ‘ well and justly answered and paid, 
 without grief and contradiction of the prelates and clergy of the 
 realm, to the great aid, relief, and supportation of the inestimable 
 charges of the crown,’ which inestimable charges may then possibly 
 have amounted to a two- hundredth part of the present yearly sum. 
 
 “ Under this valuation, which in course of time became quite 
 unequal to the real emoluments of the preferments, these charges 
 continued to be paid till the second year of Queen Anne, 1703 ; 
 when an act was passed reciting the queen’s most religious and 
 tender concern for the church of England, stating that a sufficient 
 settled provisioFi for the clergy in many parts of the realm had 
 never yet been made ; and giving to a corporation, which was to 
 be erected for the augmentation of small livings, the whole of 
 the first-fruits and tenths. Her Majesty, however, in her religious 
 and tender concern, was completely overreached by the clergy. 
 The professed object of the queen was to increase the provision of 
 the poor clergy : the real and only immediate effect of it was to 
 release the rich clergy from a charge to which, by law, they were 
 liable. We have before maintained, that a provision was made in 
 
 deduct the charge of collecting his income : and others think they 
 may deduct their charities ; and others the interest of the purchase- 
 money of the advowson of their livings 1 By these various means 
 some of them actually throw their livings into debt to themselves ; 
 as one, for instance, in the June number, 175/. Let it be remem- 
 bered that these generous fellows, who thus magnanimously main- 
 tain their own livings — yet shew, that those livings are not worth 
 less, in the gross, than five or six hundred a year. 
 
THE IRISH CHURCH. 
 
 45 
 
 the statute of Henry VIII., for revising, from time to time, tlie valu- 
 ations under which the first-fruits and tenths were paid. It is not 
 improbable that the clergy were apprehensive, as the nation was 
 then engaged in an expensive war, that such a revision might be 
 made ; and in persuading the queen to renounce her hereditary 
 revenue for the sake of her poor clergy, they contrived most 
 effectually to secure themselves by an ingenious clause in the statute 
 in question. 
 
 “ If the real purpose of this act of Anne had been to augment the 
 small livings, nothing could have been more reasonable than to do 
 it by enforcing the legal claims for the firut-fruits and tenths on the 
 holders of the larger benefices. The scandalous poverty of some 
 livings — for there were then 1071 which did not exceed 10/. a 
 year — would then have speedily disappeared : but as the old and 
 inefficient rate of payment was fixed and made perpetual, the most 
 religious queen went to her grave without seeing any effect from 
 her bounty ; as, in consequence of the incumbrances on the fund, 
 and the impossibility of increasing its produce, it was not till 1714, 
 that the governors of the bounty were enabled to make their first 
 grants. 
 
 “ The cunning of the rich clergy in thus shifting from themselves 
 the burden of contributing to the relief of their poorer brethren, 
 is only to be matched in degree by the folly shewn in the application 
 of the diminished revenue which this trick of theirs still left for the 
 improvement of small livings. At the time when Queen Anne’s 
 Bounty Tund was established there was, according to the returns, 
 which were not quite accurate, 5597 livings in England and Wales, 
 with incomes not exceeding 50/. They were thus classed : — 
 
 Not exceeding 10/. . 1071 Not exceeding 40/. . 1049 
 
 ,, „ 20/. . 1467 „ „ 50/. . 889 
 
 „ „ 30/. . 1126 
 
 “ The sum which the governors of Queen Anne’s Bounty had to 
 apply to the augmentation of these livings, averaged about 13,000/. 
 a year. Any rational being would suppose that, under such circum- 
 stances, the governors and the legislature, by whom the disposal of 
 the money was directed and superintended, would have made some 
 inquiry into the circumstances of the different livings. Some of 
 these livings were of very small extent, and scarcely any population, 
 and might therefore have been advantageously united with one an- 
 other, or with other parishes. The specific evil which was to be 
 remedied was set forth in the preamble to the statute of Anne in 
 these words : — ‘ That divers mean and stipendiary preachers are, in 
 many places, entertained to serve cures, and officiate there ; wdio, 
 depending for their necessary maintenance upon the good-will and 
 liking of their hearers, have been, and are, thereby under temptation 
 of too much complying, and suiting their doctrines and teaching to 
 the humours, rather than to the good of their hearers, which has been 
 a great occasion of faction and schism. Precious philosophy ! At 
 
46 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 least, therefore, one would have thought that some distinction would 
 have been made between places where there were many hearers, and 
 where there were few or none. Some even might have been so ex- 
 travagant as to expect, that when a sum was bestowed on any par- 
 ticular living, some security would have been taken for the residence 
 of the incumbent. All these notions were, however, very far from 
 the minds of the persons who had the distribution of Queen Anne’s 
 Bounty. The governors of this fund proceeded upon the ideawliich 
 is commonly entertained in England respecting the church establish- 
 ment ; especially by its own functionaries — that, provided a suffici- 
 ent sum of money be laid out on the clergy, every other good will 
 follow ; that how absurd soever the distribution may seem, it is not 
 for human hands to destroy the latent harmony of casual proportions. 
 Above all things did they eschew the idea which the church abhors, 
 that where the public confers an obligation, it has a right to exact 
 the performance of a duty. Among the livings on which they had 
 to scatter the money, several were large and populous parishes, 
 where the tithes had been impropriated ; and these, if the holders of 
 the tithes were not, as is often the case, ecclesiastical sinecurists — 
 or dignitaries as they are called — whose incomes were at the dispo- 
 sal of parliament, would have been proper objects for augmenta- 
 tion — always supposing, what is false in point of fact, that an in- 
 crease in the emoluments of a living has any tendency to secure the 
 performance of clerical duties. Others were rectories, of which 
 some were endowed wdth the tithe of all the produce of their district, 
 but which were so insignificant as neither to need a separate clergy- 
 man, nor to afford a separate maintenance for him. In the case of 
 such livings, instead of attempting to swell the incomes of needless 
 offices, the natural course would have been, to have consolidated 
 the neighbouring benefices ; and in no case have made any aug- 
 mentation, except where the revenue arising from a district of extent 
 and population sufficient to need the cares of a clergyman, should 
 have been found insufficient to maintain him. But this would have 
 violated the fundamental principles of the excellent Church ; it 
 would have insinuated a connexion between money expended and 
 duty performed ; it would have seemed like an adaptation of means 
 to an end; it would have made some inquiry and consideration 
 necessary. 
 
 “ The governors of the Bounty proceeded bountifully ; they dis- 
 tributed a part of their money in sums of 270/. on any poor livings 
 to which any private person would give an equal sum ■ The rest 
 and far greater part of their money, shewing them no respecter of 
 persons nor of circumstances, these representatives of the ecclesias- 
 tical wisdom of the nation, distributed by lot, letting each poor 
 living take an equal chance for a prize, without any regard to the 
 degree of urgency of its claim. After this, the story of Bridoye de- 
 ciding suits at law by dice, after making up a fair pile of papers on 
 eacli side, seems no longer an extravaganza. Up to January 1, 
 
THE IRISH CHURCH. 
 
 47 
 
 1815, the governors had made, in this vv^ay, 7323 augmentations of 
 200/. ; but with benefices as with men, fortune is not proportioned 
 to desert or necessity. Some of the least populous parishes had a 
 wonderful run of luck. We are not sure that, taking a few of those 
 which meet our eye in running over the returns, we have selected 
 the most remarkable. In the diocese of Chichester, the rectory of 
 Hardham, which in 18 1 1 contained eighty-nine persons, has received 
 SIX augmentations by lot, or 1200/. The vicarage of Sollington, 
 with forty-eight people, has had six augmentations, 1200/. In the 
 diocese of Salisbury, Brewilham drew a prize ; it contained fourteen 
 people. Rotwood drew another ; it had twelve people. Calloes 
 had 1000/. including a benefaction of 200/. ; its population was in 
 1811, nineteen. In the diocese of Winchester, Saint Swithin, with 
 twenty-four people, has received 800/. including a benefaction of 
 200/. ; and 200/. has been expended on Ewhurst, which has seven 
 people. In the diocese of York, Ruthewick, with sixty-two people, 
 has had five prizes, 1000/. ; while Armby, with 2941 people, and 
 Allendale, with 3884, have gained only one each. In the diocese 
 of Rochester, two livings, with twenty-eight and twenty-nine peo- 
 ple, received separate augmentations. In the diocese of Oxford, 
 Elford, or Yelford, with sixteen inhabitants, drew a prize. In Lin- 
 coln, Stowe, with the same number, and Haugh, received 800/. 
 The number of all its inhabitants is eight. When it is considered 
 too, that Haugh pays vicarial tithes, which amounted in the reign of 
 Henry Vlll. to 6/. 13s. 4d. of yearly value, it must be admitted 
 that this important district has been guarded against the danger of 
 schism, with a liberality worthy of a Protestant government. If the 
 rest of the people of England were fortified in sound doctrine, at the 
 same rate of expense, the proper establishment of religious teachers 
 in England and Wales would cost about 1200 millions sterling ; and 
 1,500,000 parochial clergy, who, as Dr. Cove allows each of them 
 a family of nine, would form a considerable portion of the popula- 
 tion. In the diocese of Llandaff we find two places following each 
 other in the returns, which illustrate the equity of ‘le sort des dez.' 
 Usk, with 1339 people, has had an augmentation, though its value 
 remains low, Wilcock, a rectory with twenty-eight people, has 
 had three. In Hereford, Hoptoncangeford has had 1000/. for 
 thirty-five people. Monmouth, 200/. for 3503. 
 
 ‘‘ Even in cities, where the scattered condition of the population 
 could afford no pretext against the union of parishes, the same plan of 
 augmentations has been pursued. In Winchester, separate aug- 
 mentations have been given to seven parishes, the population of all 
 which would, united, have amounted to 2376, and would con- 
 sequently have formed a very manageable, and rather small town 
 parish. In short, the whole of the returns printed by the House of 
 Commons in 1815, (No. 115), teem with instances of the most 
 foolish extravagance, — ^just such a result as the original conception 
 of this clerical little-go would have led any rational being to auti- 
 
48 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 cipate. The conviction is irresistibly forced upon us, that nothing 
 could have been further from the minds of those who superintended 
 this plan, than to secure a competent provision for all the members of 
 the church, and to remove the poverty of some of its members, — 
 which is, by a strange manner of reasoning, made a defence for the 
 needless profusion with which the public wealth is lavished upon 
 others. Indeed, we are led to suspect, that ‘ the church, in her cor- 
 porate capacity,’ looks upon the poverty of some of her members as 
 sturdy beggars look upon their sores ; she is not seriously displeased 
 with the naked and excoriated condition of her lower extremities, so 
 long as it excites an ill-judged compassion for the whole body, and 
 secures her impunity in idleness and rapacity. 
 
 “ We are sometimes told that the poverty of a large body of the 
 parochial clergy is such that it is out of the power of the higher 
 clergy, even by the surrender of their whole revenues, to remedy it. 
 The statement we have given shews most clearly that this poverty is 
 to be attributed, in the first place, to the fraudulent subtraction of 
 the higher clergy from the burden of contributing to the relief of 
 their poorer brethren ; and, in the second place, to the absurdity of 
 the ecclesiastical division of the kingdom, which, on the slightest 
 effort of the clergy, would have been remedied by the legislature. If 
 the first-fruits and tenths had been paid subsequently to the gift of 
 Anne, according to the rate which the law provided for, and as they 
 had been paid, ‘ without grief or contradiction,’ i. e. according to 
 the real value of the benefices, instead of a million and a half, at 
 least thirty millions would have been raised from these taxes ; 
 a sum not only quite sufficient to have removed the poverty of all the 
 poor livings in the kingdom, but to have established schools in every 
 parish of England, and to have left a large surplus for other useful 
 purposes. 
 
 “ In the course of these augmentations no security has been taken 
 against non-residence, or plurality. The governors goon, therefore, 
 increasing the incomes of two small livings, in order to make each of 
 them capable of supporting a resident clergyman ; while after, as 
 well as before, the augmentation, one incumbent may hold them 
 together — reside on neither — and allow only a small part of the 
 accumulated income to a curate, who performs the duty of both !” 
 
 This absurd system, which is at once an insult to the memory of 
 Queen Anne, and to the whole British nation, has been continued to 
 the present moment. By the returns made to the present par- 
 liament, the same shameful additions to rich livings, of that which 
 was intended to have gone to poor ones, are made apparent; the 
 same shamelessly miserable payment of the curates, who do the 
 actual work for which the money is received by the selfish and 
 the idle, has been continued. It is not within the compass of this 
 volume to go at great length into these details ; — a sample will suf- 
 fice. 4’hese cases were lately adduced by Lord King in the blouse 
 of Beers. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 49 
 
 “ Dean and Canon of Windsor, impropriator of the following 
 parishes, received from parliamentary grant and Queen Anne’s 
 Bounty: Plymsted, 1811, 600/.; i812, 400/.; 1815, 300/.; 
 Plympton, — , 600/. St. German’s, 1811, 800/.; 1814, 400/. 
 Wembury, 1807, 200/.; 1816, 1400/. Northam, 1764, 200/.; 
 
 1812, 400/. South Moulton, 1813, 600/, 
 
 “ Dean and Canon of Winchester, impropriators of tithes of two t 
 large parishes in Wales Holt, 1725, 200/. ; 1733, 200/. Iscoyd, 
 1749,200/.; 1757,200/.; 1798,200/.; 1818, 200/. 
 
 ** Dean of Exeter, impropriator of tithe : — Landkey, 1775, 200/. ; 
 
 1810, 200/. ; 1815, 1400/. Swimbed, 1750, 200/. ; 1811, 400/. 
 
 “ Dean and Chapter of Carlisle, impropriators of valuable tithe : 
 
 — Hesket, 1813, 600/. ; 1815, 2000/. to purchase land; 1816, 300/.; 
 1817,300/. 
 
 “ Dean of Bangor, impropriator of tithe (curate paid 32/. 4s.) : — 
 
 Gyffin, 1767, 200/. ; 1810, 200/. ; 1816, 1400/. 
 
 “ Bishop of Bangor, impropriator of valuable tithe (curate paid 
 
 30/. 12s.);— Llandegar, 1812,200/.; 1815, 1600/.; , 300/.; 
 
 , 300/. 
 
 “ Bishop of Litchfield, impropriator of large tithes in Merioneth- 
 shire (curate paid only 27/.); — Tallylyr, 1808, 200/.; 1816, 
 
 1400/. Penal, 1810, 200/.” 
 
 Thus these returns proved, that for thirteen parishes these Rev. 
 Gentlemen had drawn 14,500/. which ought to have been paid from 
 their own pockets ! 
 
 The Edinburgh Review, in the same article above quoted, says, — 
 
 “ Those who complain of the poverty of the clergy, pretend to sup- 
 pose that no security for residence is necessary ; and, that as soon as 
 the small livings are raised high enough, non-residence will dis- 
 appear as a matter of course. For instance. Dr. Cove says, ‘ all 
 the church of England’s sons are, with few exceptions, ever intent 
 on their appropriate duties ; and would be still more diligent were 
 each of them possessed of a more enlarged and comfortable inde- 
 pendencfe, and furnished with more suitable abodes.’ This, unfortu- 
 nately for the doctor, is more capable of being brought to the test 
 than the ‘ unrecorded revelation’ to Adam in favour of tithes. We 
 have returns of small livings, and we have returns of non-residence. 
 
 In the diocese of Rochester there are only six livings under 150/. a 
 year, and of those six, not one is returned under 110/. Of the 107 
 benefices returned in that diocese, there were, in 1809, but 50 with 
 resident incumbents — less than half the livings. In the diocese of 
 Chester, where the livings under 150/. a year are numerous, 377 out 
 of 592 being of that description, a considerably larger proportion of 
 the benefices have residents than in Rochester — there are 327 resi- 
 dents. In other dioceses the number of poor livings bears no 
 regular proportion to the number of non-residents. The fact is, that 
 under the discipline of the church of England, where there are so 
 many grounds of exemption or of license for non-residence, the only 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 persons who may be expected to reside, are those whose narrow in- 
 comes make their residence in their own parsonages a matter of 
 necessity or convenience. 
 
 The following statement from the Carlisle Journal will afford 
 a striking example of the shameless pluralities of the higher clergy, 
 and of the miserable manner of their paying the poor labouring 
 curates. 
 
 ** Small as is the see of Carlisle, it affords some admirable 
 specimens of the working of the church system, and of these we will 
 now give a sample. And first of the pluralists. we have — 
 
 “ Hugh Percy, bishop of Carlisle, a prebend of St. Paul’s, and a 
 Chancellor of Sarum, 
 
 R. Hodgson, dean of Carlisle, vicar of Burgh-on-Sands, rector 
 of St. George’s, Ilanover-square, and vicar of Hillington. 
 
 “ E, Goodenough, prebend of Carlisle, Westminster, and York ; 
 vicar of Wath All Saints on Dearn, chaplain of Adwick, and chap- 
 lain of Brompton-Bierlow. 
 
 S. J. Goodenough, prebend of Carlisle, rector of Broughton 
 Poges, vicar of Hampton, and deputy lord-lieutenant of Cumber- 
 land. 
 
 “ Wm. Goodenough, archdeacon of Carlisle, rector of Marcham- 
 le-Fen, and rector of Great Salkeld. 
 
 W. Vansittart, D. D., prebend of Carlisle, master of Wigston’s 
 Hospital, Leicester, vicar of Waltham Abbas, and vicar of Shottes- 
 brooke. 
 
 “ W. Fletcher, chancellor of the diocese of Carlisle, prebend 
 of York, vicar of Bromfield, vicar of Dalston, and vicar of Lazenby. 
 
 It is not our intention, at present, to inquire into the incomes of 
 these dignitaries ; but as they are pretty considerable, it may be 
 worth while just to contrast the salaries they award to those who 
 really work, with the moneys they receive from the livings. The 
 tithes received by the Dean and Chapter for Hesket, amount to 
 1000/., or 1500/. a year; they pay to the curate who does the duty 
 18/. 5s. a year ! — that is to say. Is. a day — being after the rate 
 of the bricklayer’s labourer’s wages! In Wetheral and Warwick, 
 the Dean and Chapter draw about 1000/. a year from tithes, and 
 1000/. a year from the church lands ; and they pay the working 
 minister (probably one of the most exemplary and beloved men 
 in England in his station) the sum of 50/. a year — half the wages of 
 a journeyman cabinet-maker ! The tithes of the parish of St. 
 Cuthbert and St. Mary, amount at the least to 1500/. a year. The 
 two curates (who do the duty) receive each the sum of 2/. 13s. 4d. a 
 year ! ! I And then, to the minor canons, who do the cathedral 
 duty (such as it is), they pay the sum of 6s. 8d. a year each ! The 
 Dean and Chapter hold several other impropriate rectories, pay the 
 curates a mere nominal sum for performing the duties, and pocket 
 the tithes themselves — for doing nothing ! 
 
 “ The Rev. W. Pullen, rector of Little Gidding, Iluntingdonshiie, 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH, 
 
 51 
 
 asserts in a pamphlet of his, that a late bishop held twelve places 
 of preferment at the same time, and the greater number parochial 
 benefices !’' 
 
 Who can believe that the British public can much longer sufter 
 this church to remain ? Look where we will, we behold the most 
 gross instances of simony, pluralities, non-residence, and penurious 
 remuneration of the working clergy. 
 
 Another source of gain to the clergy, are the ecclesiastical courts. 
 Englishmen are, indeed, a most patient race ! An ecclesiastical 
 court is a dark and mysterious assemblage, as of bats and owls. 
 A sort of inquisition, shorn of its power by public opinion, and yet 
 suffered by public opinion to exist ! Priests are no longer allowed 
 to summon men to their hidden tribunals, and rack their persons ; 
 but they are still permitted to seize on their wills with rude hands, 
 and rack their purses without mercy ! Clerical peers and clerical 
 legislators are anomalous enough; but clerical taxers of orphans, 
 and clerical guardians of testamentary documents, are still more 
 anomalous. Here is a popish institution existing in a protestant 
 country, which even popish countries have abandoned, and con- 
 veyed its functions into the hands of laymen ! Our wise Saxon 
 ancestprs suffered nothing of this kind amongst them : it is true, 
 they permitted bishops to take their seats in the civil courts, to 
 protect their own rights ; but it remained for the Norman invader to 
 concede to Rome this dangerous privilege of clerical courts. Time 
 and knowledge have thrown into disuetude most of those powers by 
 which they harassed our forefathers. They no longer trouble them- 
 selves about the reformation of manners, or the punishing of heresy ; 
 nor do churchwardens care to present scandalous livers to the 
 bishop : but refuse to pay a fee, and they will speedily ‘‘curse thee 
 to thy face.” They are, in fact, a sort of obscure and dusty 
 incorporations, for collecting and enjoying good revenues, under the 
 names of bishop, surrogates, proctors, registrars, deputy-registrars, 
 and so forth, from fees on wills, consecrations, and various other 
 sources and immunities. 
 
 To see what troublesome and extortionate nuisances these courts 
 are, it is only necessary to consult the voluminous returns made 
 to parliament, in 1829. Amongst the lesser evils of the system are 
 the consecration of burial grounds, and what are called surplice fees. 
 Nothing is more illustrative of the spirit of priestcraft, than that the 
 church should have kept up the superstitious belief in the con- 
 secration of ground, and that, in spite of education, the poor and the 
 rich should be ridden with the most preposterous notion, that they 
 cannot lie in peace except in ground over which the bishop has said 
 his mummery, and for which he and his rooks, as Sir David Lindsay 
 calls them, have pocketed the fees, and laughed in their sleeves at the 
 gullible foolishness of the people. When will the day come, when 
 the webs of the clerical spider shall be torn, not only from the limbs, 
 but from the souls of men 1 Does the honest Quaker sleep less 
 
52 
 
 IIISTOIIY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 sound, or will he arise less cheerfully at the judgment-day from his 
 grave, over which no prelatical jugglery has been practised, and for 
 which neither prelate nor priest pocketed a doit ? Who has conse- 
 crated the sea, into which the British sailor in the cloud of battle- 
 smoke descends, or who goes down, amidst the tears of his comrades, 
 to depths to which no plummet but that of God’s omnipresence ever 
 reached? Who has consecrated the battle field, which opens its pits 
 for Its thousands and tens of thousands ; or the desart, where the 
 weary traveller lies down to his eternal rest? Who has made holy 
 the sleeping-place of the solitary missionary, and of the settlers in 
 new lands ] Who but He whose hand has hallowed earth from end 
 to end, and from surface to centre — for his pure and Almighty 
 fingers have moulded it! Who but lie whose eye rests on it day 
 and night, watching its myriads of moving children — the oppressors 
 and the oppressed — the deceivers and the deceived — the hypocrites, 
 and the poor, whose souls are darkened with false knowledge, and 
 fettered with the bonds of daring selfishness ? and on whatever 
 innocent thing that eye rests, it is hallowed beyond the breath 
 of bishops, and the fees of registrars. Who shall need to look for a 
 consecrated spot of earth to lay his bones in, when the struggles and 
 the sorrows, the prayers and the tears of our fellow men, from age to 
 age, have consecrated every atom of this world’s surface to the desire 
 of a repose which no human hands can lead to, no human rites can 
 secure ? Who shall seek for a more hallowed bed than the bosom of 
 that earth into which Christ himself descended, and in which the 
 bodies of the thousands of glorious patriarchs, and prophets, and 
 martyrs, who were laid in gardens, and beneath their paternal trees, 
 and of heroes, whose blood and sighs have flowed forth for their 
 fellow men, have been left to peace, and the blessings of grateful 
 generations, with no rites, no sounds, but the silent falling of tears, 
 and the aspirations of speechless, but immortal thanks? The whole 
 world is sanctified by these agencies, beyond the blessings or the 
 curses of priests 1 God’s sunshine flows over it — his providence sur- 
 rounds it ; it his rocked in his arms, like the child of his eternal love ; 
 his faithful creatures live, and toil, and pray in it ; and, in the name 
 of heaven, who shall make it, or who can need it holier, for his last 
 resting couch ! But the greediness of priests persists in cursing the 
 poor with extortionate expenses, and calls them blessings. The 
 poor man, who all his days goes groaning under the Ipad of his ill- 
 paid labours, cannot even escape from them into the grave, except 
 at a dismal charge to his family ; his native earth is not allowed to 
 receive him into her bosom, till he has satisfied the priest and his 
 satellites. With the exception of Jews, Quakers, and some few 
 other dissenters, every man is given up in England as a prey, in life 
 and in death, to the parson, and his echo, and his disturber of 
 bones. 
 
 The following, from the Leeds Mercury, is not quite a fair ex- 
 ample of the expense incurred for what is called the consecration of 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 53 
 
 the smallest addition to a burial-ground — for in some dioceses the 
 charge is 45Z., and, it is said, the charge for the consecration of a 
 church has often been from 100/. to 300/. 
 
 To the churchwardens of Tadcaster was sent the following 
 letter : — 
 
 (copy). 
 
 “ Gentlemen, — I send you enclosed the charges on the consecra- 
 tion of the additional churchyard at Tadcaster. 
 
 I am. Gentlemen, your obedient servant, 
 
 York, 26th March, 1829. JOSEPH BUCKLE.” 
 
 Fees on consecration of the additional Burial-ground 
 
 at Tadcaster, 1828. £ s. d. 
 
 Drawing and engrossing the petition to the Arch- 
 bishop to consecrate 150 
 
 Drawing and engrossing the sentence of consecration 2 2 0 
 
 Drawing the Act 0 13 6 
 
 Registering the above instruments and the deed at 
 
 length, and parchment 2 2 0 
 
 The Chancellor’s fee 5 0 0 
 
 The principal Registrar’s fee 5 0 0 
 
 The Secretary’s fee 5 0 0 
 
 The Deputy Registrar’s attendance and expenses . 3 15 6 
 
 The Apparator’s fee 110 
 
 Fee on obtaining the seal 110 
 
 Carriage 050 
 
 £ 27 5 0 
 
 For burying a poor man, this is the common scale of charge in 
 this town : — For the burial of even a pauper, 7s. 6d. — for a child 
 six months old, the same — if the child be not baptized. Is.; for in 
 that state, it is, by clerical logic, deemed not a human being, but a 
 thing, until their mummery has ennobled it — a thing beneath God’s 
 notice — it is therefore thrust into any hole by the sexton. In the 
 principal churchyard, a man who wishes to choose the place of 
 burial, must pay 10/. for the size of a grave ; and for opening such 
 a grave, about 2/. 15s. 6d. For permission to lay down a flat stone, 
 which used to be 1/. Is., now 3/. 3s. 1 For an upright stone 
 10s. 6d. For liberty to clean his father’s gravestone, the vicar of 
 Newark charged a man the other day, 2s. 6d. There is nothing 
 connected with the church, but must be paid for. Besides the 
 regular fee, the compliment of a guinea, or more, for a scarf, hat- 
 band, and gloves, is not merely expected, but demanded. There 
 are many instances, where clergymen have refused to take a corpse 
 into the church, where these were denied.* From opulent people, 
 
 * Ay, and even wLen not denied, if the parties were poor. This 
 
54 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIFSTCRAIT : 
 
 a compliment of five guineas is looked for at marriages ; at christen- 
 ings, a guinea. By this greediness of filthy lucre, our finest eccle- 
 siastical buildings, and professedly the temples of God, are degraded 
 into regular shew-shops ; especially those magnificent piles, St. 
 Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. These noble buildings, 
 to which are attached immense revenues, are not merely made traps 
 for daily gains from a laudable curiosity, but of enormous sums on 
 public occasions ; particularly the coronations, in the latter, bring 
 mines of gold to the chapter. But we digress. — For opening a 
 vault, even in a village churchjard, 51. is commonly demanded ; 
 in the church, lOZ. ; and what is worst, after all, it has been proved 
 by more than one legal decision, no man’s family vault is sacred 
 and inviolable. The church and churchyard are the parson’s free- 
 hold. In them, during his life, he can work his own will : and there 
 are numbers of families who flatter themselves that they had a place 
 of family sepulture, into which no stranger can intrude, but who, 
 having excited the wrath of some clerical parish tyrant, have been 
 refused to place the dead in their vaults until his exorbitant de- 
 mands have been satisfied. From root to branch, the whole system 
 is rotten; — give ! give ! give ! is written on every wall and gate 
 of the church: and though a man quits it and its communion alto- 
 gether, he must still pay, in life and in death to it. 
 
 To this church, which empties the pockets of the poor, and stops 
 the mouth of the conscientious dissenter, let every Englishmen do 
 his duty. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 tithes. 
 
 Tithes form one large source whence the revenues of the established 
 church are drawn ; and a more injurious method for the support of 
 
 very week a poor man and his wife called on me in great distress, 
 saying that they had just buried a child, and paid Archdeacon 
 Wilkins, 7s. 6d. for performing the ceremony, a sum for which 
 they must work hard half the week, and yet he refused them the 
 poor consolation of taking the body into the church, I could only 
 console them by reminding them that the child was in better hands 
 than that of the Archdeacon — the hands of its Maker — the friend 
 and avenger of the poor ! It may be added, that a friend of the 
 Author attending a funeral at St. Nicolas’s church in this town — the 
 clerk came to him during the service, and inquired if there was a 
 hatband for the priest i if not, there would only be half service 
 performed. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 55 
 
 the church could not have been devised, had it been the object of 
 the deviser to place an eternal subject of hatred, heart-burning, and 
 dispute between the parson and his flock; and thus render abortive 
 all his religious endeavours. A more iniquitous system, in truth, 
 was never conceived, for it taxes not merely man’s land, but his 
 capital, his genius, his skill, and his industry ; so that the priesthood 
 reaps not merely a tithe of the fruits of the earth, but of the heart 
 and mind of every man who ventures to till the earth. 
 
 The history of tithes is a singular one ; for the protestant clergy 
 have been sadly perplexed to make out any thing like a plausible 
 title to this species of plunder, taken from the Roman Catholic 
 Church. They have set up for them a right divine — a right con- 
 stitutional — a right by possession ; — and have in turn been compelled 
 to surrender them all. Their divine right was based upon the 
 Mosaic law, and a resort to such a plea, clearly demonstrated the 
 difficulties by which they were hampered. The Almighty imposed 
 the payment of tithes only on his own people, and that in favour of 
 THE TRIBE OF Levi. The PRIESTS, a particular family of that tribe, 
 were only to receive of the Levites a tithe of their tithe ; that is, a 
 hundredth part; so that could our priests have proved us real 
 Israelites, and bound to pay tithes, they could claim only a hun- 
 dredth part ; the ninety would go to the vergers and beadles ; the 
 cleansers and orderers of the temple. As this did not promise much, 
 they therefore fell upon the constitutional or legislative right ; and 
 here they grounded their claims upon various enactments. The 
 earliest w’ere those of some of the kings of the Saxon Heptarchy, 
 which only extended to their own portions of the empire, and were 
 to be given by the people to what body of clergy, or religious house, 
 they pleased. There was no general Act for their payment till the 
 reign of John (about 1200), when the mode of appropriation was 
 specifically defined, in obedience to the bull of Pope Innocent III. 
 But their institution was so perfectly popish, — ordered by the pope 
 himself, given by a popish monarch, and for most popish pretences, 
 that no protestant clergy could ever set up any claim to them on 
 these grounds. They were obtained in the first place by a species 
 of holy swindling. They were granted, both by monarchs and 
 private individuals, not for the maintenance of the church and re- 
 ligion, but for a private and selfish object, — for the expiation of 
 enormous crimes, often crimes of blood, as in the case of Athelstan, 
 king of the West Saxons, to pacify the soul of his murdered brother 
 Edwin, of which he was supposed to be guilty ; and of Edgar, cruel 
 to citizens, a deflowerer of virgins, and concerned in the murder of 
 Ethelwold, that he might possess his wife, Elfrida ; of Canute, 
 guilty of the blood of Edward and Edmund, sons of Ironside. The 
 clergy had persuaded these, and all other men, that they could pray 
 their souls out of purgatory, and remit the punishment of such 
 heinous offences : and to obtain these services, the wealthy gave 
 these pretended keepers of the keys of heaven and hell, the wages 
 
56 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 of tithes. They were therefore so dyed in blood, that no reformed 
 clergy could plead upon this title. But the gross delusion, by which 
 they were obtained, was equally indefensible. In the midnight of 
 popery, tithes were called the soul’s ransom ; and were so 
 preached up by the covetous clergy, that the credulous people gave 
 them eagerly. Who indeed would deny the soul’s ransom, — 
 endless life, if so to be purchased? By this fraud the church got 
 into possession of the third part of the land ; and but for the 
 Statute of Mortmain, it is believed, they would have swallowed up 
 the whole. That such was the origin of tithes ; that they were 
 given, not with the pious view of affording an ecclesiastical mainte- 
 nance, but in a private and selfish bargain for salvation, may be 
 seen by any one who will examine the original grants. Here are 
 specimens, from the reign of Henry II. : 
 
 “ Be it known to those that are present, and to those that shall 
 succeed, that 1, Nicholas, the son of Terrold, for the salva- 
 tion OF my soul, and of my parent, etc., have granted to the 
 church, to be held for ever, the tithes of my land, which I possess 
 in the village of Chiltune.” 
 
 “ I, William de Albineio, do grant unto God, and to St. 
 Andrew of Bochester, and to the monks having residence there, 
 all my tithes, etc., for the soul of King William ; and for the 
 soul of King Henry ; and for my own soul ; and for the souls of 
 my father aad mother; and of my wife ; and of my brother Nigel- 
 TA's ; and of my brother Humphrey ; and for the souls of my 
 other parents, alive and dead.” 
 
 And this passage from the charter of King Stephen to the Priory 
 of Eye, in Suffolk : 
 
 “ 1, Stephen, by the grace of God, king of England, touched by 
 the love of God, and for the salvation of my soul; and of my 
 father’s soul, and of my mother’s soul ; and of my ancestors, kings, 
 do give unto God, and the church of St. Peter of Eye, and to the 
 monks there serving God, that they may have all their profits, quiet 
 and free from all exactions, in land, tithes, churches, possessions, 
 etc. etc.” 
 
 Having procured these possessions by hypocritical means, the 
 piiests were always ready to maintain possession of them by the 
 same. This may be seen by the curious farces, got up to suit the 
 gross ignorance of the age. Here is one ; 
 
 “ St. Austin, coming to a certain place called Comiton to preach, 
 the priest of the place made complaint against the lord of the manor, 
 for detaining his tithes. For which thing Austin excommunicated 
 him ; and, saying mass at the altar, forbade excommunicated per- 
 sons to be present thereat. Presently, a dead corpse, buried one 
 bundled and seventy years before, arose out of his grave, and stood 
 afar off during the celebrating of holy mass. Austin asked him 
 what he was. He said he was a man that, during his lifetime, 
 would never pay tithes to the priest, so was excommunicated ; and 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 .57 
 
 dying went to hell for the crime. Austin raised the dead priest, 
 who affirmed that that man would never pay his tithe. Austin sent 
 the live-dead corpse to his grave again, saying, he had suffered 
 long in hell, that is, in purgatory. The lord of the manor seeing 
 all this, was much terrified, and fell at Austin’s feet, confessing his 
 fault, and became a due payer of his tithes all his lifetime I ” — 
 Anglici Historia Aurea. 
 
 ISJo protestant clergy could receive tithes on this foundation, and 
 they therefore ultimately took their stand on the Act of Henry VllL, 
 who look them from their original possessors, and gave them to 
 whom he would. But the very means by which they were con- 
 verted into the maintenance of a protestant clergy, implied a power 
 of resumption. They were taken from the papal church, to which 
 they were given for purposes peculiar to that church, and given to 
 another body of men. Nobody could have so good a title to them 
 as the original body, bad as it was ; and if they were conveyed to 
 the protestant clergy, by the government, because this appropriation 
 appeared to the government more for the public good — the only 
 justifiable reason — it followed, that, whenever the government saw 
 another plan, in its belief still more conducive to the public good, 
 or because the former plan did not produce the proposed end, then, 
 the government could resume them, and apply them according to its 
 wisdom besides, that no government can legislate for posterity, 
 except conditionally. Our ancestors could bind no burdens upon 
 us, but with the same proviso of our approval ; and thus the clerical 
 title to tithes, in every point of view, resolves itself solely into the 
 will of the government. 
 
 We have seen that tithes were the accredited soul’s ransom ; 
 and as charity was declared by Scripture to cover a multitude of 
 sins, they were made to include the principle of charity, as an effec- 
 tual means of expediting the operation of ransoming, or praying, out 
 of purgatory. I'his was the reason that they were not merely given 
 to the clergy, but to the poor. One part to the bishop, one to the 
 clergy, one to the support of ecclesiastical buildings, and one to the 
 poor. All this, however, was done away with by the reformed clergy. 
 They robbed the poor of their part, and threw both them and the 
 churches on the country. 
 
 The following statement, from the Essex Independent, sets the 
 clerical rapacity and want of conscience, in this proceeding, in a 
 striking light. 
 
 “ The church ought to relinquish the property of the poor. The 
 original tripartite division of tithes is acknowledged, one-third por- 
 tion of the revenues of the church being the undoubted property of 
 the poor. The entire possessions of the church, in tithe and landed 
 property, amount in value to the sum of 170,450,000/ ; and the 
 extensive leaseholds lately reverted to the bishopric of London, raise 
 the amount to 180,000,000/. One-third of this, i. e. 60,000,000/., 
 
5B 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 is therefore the sum which the state is most equitably entitled to 
 demand from the church.” 
 
 Such is the history of tithes ; their operation has been shewn by 
 the ablest writers to have been most deplorable — the source of ever- 
 lasting rancour between minister and people ; of indolence and riot 
 on one hand, and of poverty on the other — destructive alike to the 
 progress of agriculture and to religious reformation. But it is in 
 Ireland that the system has produced its amplest horrors. There, 
 rapacious priests, for the most part pluralists and absentees, have 
 deputed their claims to voracious tithe proctors, who have dragged 
 this soul’s ransom from the members of the church which first held 
 it, to give it to the pastors of a church who do not believe it a soul’s 
 RANSOM at all, but a very good body’s comfort, — have dragged it 
 from the poorest cultivator of the poorest and smallest patch of 
 ground, till they have roused the spirit of the whole people to resist- 
 ance. Hence the hostile meetings of tithe proctors and tithe payers, 
 — hence interference of soldiers, — hence the murders and bloody 
 skirmishes which have made that fine country a waste, and a land 
 of horrors in the ears of all civilized nations. Let any one that 
 reads this recital from the Waterford Chronicle, December 19, 1831, 
 reflect that the country was full of such cases, from one end to the 
 other: and then wonder, if he can, at all that has occurred: — 
 
 ** Catherine Carroll is a poor woman, living at Ballytruckle, on 
 the Kil St. Laurence road, in a wretched cabin ; and till this year, 
 she was never called upon to pay incumbent-money. The hand of 
 affliction was upon this poor creature ; her son lay on his death-bed, 
 if bed maybe called a wretched wad of straw. A daughter too, was 
 lying ill of a severe cold, with lumps in her throat. The collector 
 called to demand the tax. The wretched woman had not the means 
 of paying it. What was to be done 1 The whole house did not 
 contain a sufficient distraint ; but — let me restrain my indignation 
 wLile I tell it — the poor woman had taken advantage of her chil- 
 dren’s illness, — of their being confined to bed, — to take oflT the only 
 shirt and shift they possessed, to wash them ; and unfortunately had 
 them upon a bush at the door, drying, at that moment. The col- 
 lector saw the prize, — and at one fell swoop, carried off the shirt of 
 the boy! — the shift of the girl ! — the trovvsers of the poor man I — 
 his stockings ! — a waistcoat, belonging to another child ! — and an 
 'apron belonging to another daughter ! — all went, to m'ake nectar of 
 the wine of some pampered ecclesiastic ! The boy died yesterday ; 
 and on the bed of death, although this worse than Turkish act oc- 
 curred on Friday week, this unhappy child knew not the comfort of 
 a shirt ; and his little corpse is now lying naked, owdng to the 
 ruthless system of the church establishment.” 
 
 At length the people resolved, en masse, to refuse the payment ; 
 and what did our reforming ministers ? Abolish those odious 
 tithes'? No I As the Irish would not pay them, they decreed that 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 59 
 
 we should, — giving us the Irish landlords as our sureties for re- 
 payment. Thus, not contented with having the Irish people and 
 protestant priesthood in hostile array, they have thrown this fatal 
 apple of discord between the tenants and the landlords, and the con- 
 sequences cannot be long unseen. 
 
 But they are condemned ; and let them go on. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CHURCH PATRONAGE. 
 
 We have incidentally spoken on the subject of this chapter in a pre- 
 vious one : but it is necessary that it should be more fully and par- 
 ticularly noticed. From the system of patronage existing in the 
 British state-church, has flowed the most fatal result. It has filled 
 the church with every species of unworthy character ; — men who 
 look upon it as a prey ; who come to it with coldness and contempt ; 
 who gather its fruits, while other and better men toil for them ; and 
 squander them in modes scandalous, not merely to a church, but to 
 human society. By this means it has been made the heritage of the 
 rich man’s children, while the poor and unpatronized man of worth 
 and talent has plodded on in its labours, and despaired. By this 
 means so wmrldly a character has grown upon its ministers, that they 
 have become blind to the vilest enormities of the system, and now 
 look on simony as a matter of course. 
 
 A calculation founded on the population returns of 1821, makes 
 the following the stale of church patronage : — 
 
 Livings in the gift of the crown 1048 
 
 ,, ,, ,, bishops 1301 
 
 ,, ,, ,, deans and chapters . . 982 
 
 ,, ,, ,, universities 743 
 
 ,, ,, ,, private persons . . . . 6619 
 
 10,693 
 
 The first are notoriously made use of by ministers to purchase 
 adherents. By means of these, parliamentary votes are bought, and 
 popular liberty sold. By means of these, corrupt legislators and 
 corrupt subservient persons are dispersed through the country, to 
 aid the views of government. During the long reign of the Tories, 
 these state-beneficed parsons were loud in the pulpits, busy at public 
 meetings and public dinners, busy in all houses where they had 
 access, especially those of the squirearchy, disseminating those 
 doctrines which have brought us to the brink of ruin. 
 
 The livings in the gift of the bishops go, of course, amongst their 
 sons and relatives, or to the slaves of government, for whom they 
 
60 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 were expressly reserved as the price of the bishop’s own preferment. 
 “ There is, too ,a species of simony,” says the author of Ecclesias- 
 tical Reform, a beneficed clerjryman in 1792, “ which prevails in 
 our church, styled petticoat simony ; where a clergyman, by 
 marrying the niece or daughter of a bishop, becomes a pluralist of 
 large income, his lady being portioned out of the church. 1 could 
 point out several persons now living ; but it might seem invidious, 
 and shall therefore only instance a notorious one. The Dean of 
 Canterbury married a daughter of Archbishop Potter’s, and became 
 possessed of six or seven pieces of preferment, to the amount of 
 above 4000/. a-year of the church revenue, by way of marriage 
 portion.” 
 
 This was the man satirized by Hogarth, in the print of the “ Ass 
 laden with Preferment but, so far from being abashed by the 
 sarcasm, he publicly declared that Mr. Hogarth was mistaken in 
 making his back bend under the load, for he could bear a great deal 
 more. 
 
 The livings in the hands of deans and chapters, and universities, 
 every one knows, are snugly divided amongst their own members. 
 Those of private people, of course, go amongst the sons and relations 
 of the patrons ; but if these are wanting, they are publicly sold to 
 the highest bidder. 
 
 The traffic in church livings is one of the most notorious things in 
 England. The oath on the institution to a living, is studiously 
 framed in the most solemn and particular manner to prevent this sin 
 of simony ; but it matters not, — he who does not boggle at simony, 
 will not boggle at an oath. Public offices are opened in London 
 for the sale and purchase of livings ; and printed circulars are 
 industriously introduced amongst the clergy, patrons, and those 
 concerned in such affairs. Tn one of these, the agent submits to the 
 clergy, a scale of charges for business entrusted to his care ; he 
 also takes this opportunity to express his acknowledgments for the 
 very extensive patronage he has had during the last ten years, and 
 to assure the clergy, that every commission confided to his care will 
 continue to be executed with fidelity and promptitude. 
 
 TERMS : — 
 
 “ Introductory Fee, One Guinea. 
 
 “ To be considered as part payment of the first commission exceeding 
 that amount. 
 
 For the sale of an advowson . . 
 
 “ For the purchase of an advowson 
 
 For the sale of a next presenta- 
 tion to a living 
 
 if the purchase-money does not 
 exceed 4000/. 2^ per cent, 
 if the purchase-money is above 
 4000/., and under 7000/., 
 2^- per cent. 
 
 if the purchase-money is above 
 7000/., and under 10,000/, 
 2 per cent. 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 61 
 
 For the purchase of a next pre- ( 
 sentation to a living . . 
 
 “ For the sale of a chapel . . . 
 
 For the purchase of a chapel 
 “For procuring a foreign chap- [ 
 
 laincy 1 
 
 “ For procuring a lectureship . | 
 “ For procuring a curacy for a< 
 
 client in orders 
 
 “ For procuring an exchange of a 
 living or a curacy .... 
 
 if the purchase money is above 
 10,000/., If per cent. 
 
 5 per cent, on the amount of 
 one year’s emolument. 
 
 “ Every description of clerical business transacted ; livings valued, 
 etc. etc. 
 
 “ FOR EVERY LETTER WRITTEN, 3s. 6d.” 
 
 He then proceeds to inform the clergy that he has always the 
 names of several highly respectable clergymen on his books, and can 
 supply at a day or two’s notice, deputies to those who incline to be 
 absent ; that he has always an extensive list of livings for sale, curacies 
 vacant ; livings, chaplaincies, and curacies for exchange. Begs 
 them to remark, that all communications to and from him are 
 strictly confidential, offers his services to spare them all publicity in 
 advertising, etc., and then boasts that he has been already employed 
 by upwards of 5000 clergymen ! 
 
 Day after day, advertisements appear in the public papers, offer- 
 ing advowsons and next presentations for sale. The law allows the 
 sale of advowsons ; and therefore to purchase an advowson a clergy- 
 man thinks no simony. It is the law, he says, and therefore not 
 wrong. No ! not wrong, when your canons declare it simony ? 
 when you swear a solemn oath that you have obtained the living 
 neither by money nor favour? What the law contemplates is, the 
 sale of advowsons from one layman to another : but it is the clergy- 
 man who volunteers himself as a purchaser, and does purchase with 
 a clear knowledge that he outrages the spirit of the law, though he 
 evades the letter ; that he actually commits moral simony, and 
 perjures himself by taking the most solemn oath on the English 
 Statute-book. But law or not law, advowsons which the law 
 permits, but the canon forbids, or next presentations which both 
 forbid, it seems all one to the clergy, — there are plenty of pur- 
 chasers ; and their agent boasts of having had his 5000 customers 
 for his simoniacal wares. 
 
 A clerical writer in the British (Church) Magazine, asks, with 
 the utmost simplicity — how can the bishops help men selling advow- 
 sons? It never seems once to occur to him, that if there were no 
 clerical buyers, there would be no sellers. In the same journal 
 (June, 1832, p. 357) is the following statement: — “ Of the whole 
 number of benefices in England, very nearly 8000 (that is, more 
 
62 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT ! 
 
 than two-thirds of the whole) are in private patronage. Of tlie 
 clergy, a very considerable number have purchased the livings 
 which they hold ; and of the remainder, most have been brought up 
 to the church, and educated with a view to some particular piece of 
 preferment in the gift of their family and relations. Whether this 
 be right or wrong, it is an effect almost necessarily following from 
 so large a portion of the property of the church being private pro- 
 perty ; a state of things not to be altered, and which they who wish 
 to abolish pluralities do not talk of altering.” 
 
 This clerical writer, with the most innocent face imaginable, tells 
 us that simony is common as daylight ; that the bulk of the livings 
 in England are not open to the pious and the worthy, but are the 
 heritage of certain men who may be neither — he is so far from see- 
 ing any thing amiss, that he goes on to point out the advantage of 
 such a state of things. He declares it cannot be altered ; and this 
 is one of his reasons why the church should not be reformed. He 
 does not at all perceive that no church with so scandalous and pre- 
 posterous a foundation, can stand many years in the midst of a 
 country where the spirit of man is busily at work, to pry into the 
 nature of all things, and where any monopoly, but especially of reli- 
 gious patronage, must assuredly arouse an indignation that will 
 overturn it. Miserably dark must be the moral atmosphere of a 
 church where its members come forward with a mental obtuseness 
 like this, to advocate its abominations as if they were virtues, while 
 the very people gape around them with astonishment, and they per- 
 ceive it not. But there are no labourers in the demolition of a bad 
 institution like its own friends. They are like insects in a rotten 
 tree; roused by external alarm to activity, they .bustle about and 
 scatter the trunk, which holds them, into dust. Such men put a 
 patch of new garments upon the old garment of corruption, and the 
 rent is made worse. 
 
 By such means as these the church has been filled with pride and 
 apathy ; and it is notorious, that of all Christian ministers, those of 
 the establishment are the least interested in their flocks, and culti- 
 vate and enjoy the least sympathy with them. Sir Arthur Brooke 
 Faulkner, in his Tour in Germany, has the following passage, 
 which coming from a man fresh from the observation of the conti- 
 nental churches, is worthy of attention. ‘‘ Nowhere else in Europe 
 are clergymen, and no wonder, less respected among the multitude 
 than in the British dominions.” He proceeds to account for this, 
 by their apathy, pluralities, exorbitant revenues, maintenance by 
 tithes, and acting as legislators ; and adds — “ If the statement 
 which has already been alluded to may be credited, the clergy of 
 the United Kingdoms are paid more than the clergy of all the rest of 
 Christendom besides, by a million sterling and upwards ; the full 
 amount of their annual revenue being 8,852,000/. In primitive 
 times, and in the different countries at the present time, which I 
 have visited, the remuneration of their labour is, as we have seen, 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 6'3 
 
 in many cases, chiefly voluntary. In these countries it needs no 
 prelacy strutting in lawn sleeves, and ‘ raising their mitred fronts 
 in courts and parliaments,’ to clothe it with respect.” 
 
 This is borne out by all the world, in contradiction of the asser- 
 tions of the advocates of our English establishment, who contend 
 that without dignities and large revenues the clergy would sink into 
 contempt. Milton, speaking of the preferments which have been 
 so much vaunted as stimulants to activity and talent in the church, 
 says, “ They are but lures or loubells, by which the worldly- 
 minded priest may be tolled, from parish to parish, all the country 
 over.” The Scotch clergy have but slender incomes, and what is 
 the testimony of their countrymen, the Edinburgh Reviewers, con- 
 cerning them ? 
 
 “ In Scotland, there are 950 parish clergymen, whose incomes 
 may average 275/. a-year each; and the Scottish clergy are not in- 
 ferior in point of attainments to any in Europe : no complaints have 
 ever been made of the manner in which they perform their duty ; 
 but, on the contrary, their exemplary conduct is the theme of well- 
 merited and constant eulogy.” 
 
 He who enters on his living as his birth-right, who looks on him- 
 self as a gentleman, and his hearers as clowns, what can arouse 
 his zeall He who has no fear of censure, or removal, whence 
 spring his circumspection and activity? “ My father,” said the 
 natural son of a nobleman, “ said to me — it is time you should 
 choose a profession. You must not be a tradesman, or you cannot 
 sit at my table ; you have not shrewdness enough for a lawyer ; you 
 would forget or poison your patients, through carelessness, were you 
 a physician ; — 1 must make a parson, or some devil of a thing, of 
 you ; — and he made a parson of me ; — and I hate the church and 
 every thing belonging to it!” From such ministers what can be 
 expected ! Yet such ministers are supplied to the church in legions, 
 by this odious system of private patronage. The ambition of main- 
 taining the character of gentlemen has made clergymen cold, unim- 
 passioned, insipid and useless. It was the same in the latter days 
 of popery. Chaucer sketches us a priest : 
 
 That hie on horse willith to ride 
 In glitter ande golde of grete arraie. 
 
 Painted and portrid all in pride. 
 
 No common knight maie go so gaie ; 
 
 Chaunge of clothing every daie, 
 
 With goldin girdils grete and small, 
 
 As boistrous as is here at baie. 
 
 All soche falshede mote nedis fall. 
 
 We do not want a set of fine gentlemen ; we want a race of zea- 
 lous, well-informed, kind and diligent parish priests. If we must 
 have gentlemen, let us have them of the school of the carpenter’s 
 son, whom honest Decker, the tragic poet, declares was 
 
HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 f)4 
 
 A soft, meek, patient, humble, tranquil spirit; 
 
 The first true gentleman that ever breathed ! 
 
 After this pattern, we care not how many gentlemen we have in 
 the church ; — gentlemen who are not ashamed, like their master 
 Christ, to be the friends of the poor. Who desire to live for them ; 
 to live among them ; to learn their wants, to engage their affections, 
 to be their counsellors and guides. Men who can understand and 
 sympathise with the struggling children of poverty, and toil in vil- 
 lages and solitary places, and are therefore understood by them, 
 and are beloved by them, and will follow them and make their pre- 
 cepts the rule of their lives and the precious hope of their deaths. 
 Oh ! what have nor. our clergy to answer for to God and to their 
 country, that they are not such men ; what blessings may they not 
 become by being such ! There are no men whose sphere of influ- 
 ence is more capacious and more enviable. It is the easiest thing 
 in the world to become the very idol of the poor ; there needs but to 
 shew them that you feel for them, and they are all ardour and at- 
 tachment. The parish clergyman has facilities 6f aiding the poor, 
 that few other men have. At his slightest recommendation, the 
 medical man is ready to afford them his aid ; at his suggestion the 
 larder and the wardrobe of the hall open their doors, and the ladies 
 are ready to fly and become the warmest benefactresses of the 
 afflicted. 
 
 But what is the actual picture presented to us now, under the 
 operation of this detestable system I Look where we will, we be- 
 hold the most gross instances of simony, pluralities, non-residence, 
 profligacy, and penurious remuneration of the working clergy. 
 Gamblers, jockeys, and characterless adventurers are put into liv- 
 ings by the vilest influence, to the horror and loathing of the help- 
 less congregations — and that in populous cities ; but in obscure, 
 rural villages, the fruits of the system are ten-fold more atrociously 
 shameful. As an instance, I may mention the following anecdote : 
 
 I once was passing along the street of a country town in the 
 evening, and my attention was arrested by the most violent ravings 
 and oaths of a man in a shop. I inquired the occasion. ‘ Oh ' ’ 
 said one of the crowd, who stood seemingly enjoying the spectacle, 
 
 ‘ Oh ! it is only Parson ; he has got drunk and followed a 
 
 girl into her father’s house, who meeting him at the top of the stairs 
 in pursuit of his affrighted daughter, hurled him to the bottom, and 
 the worthy man of God is now evaporating his wratb in vows of 
 vengeance.’ From these spectators I found it was one of the com- 
 monest sights of the town to see this'^clergyman thus drunk, and 
 thus employed. But why, said I, do not the parishioners get him 
 dismissed? A smile of astonishment af the simplicity of my query, 
 went through the crowd. ‘ Get him dismissed ! Who shall get 
 him disrrjissed? Why, he is the squire’s brother; he is, in fact, 
 born to the living. There is not a man in the parish who is not a 
 tenant or dependent in some way on the family ; consequently not a 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 65 
 
 man who dare open his mouth.’ They have him, such as he is, and 
 must make their best of him ; and he or his brother will be sure to 
 rear a similar prophet for the next generation.” 
 
 Here is another; — I entered a village not five miles off. This 
 I found a lovely retired place, with a particularly handsome church, 
 a noble parsonage, a neglected school, and an absent clergyman. 
 The living was 1800Z. a year — the incumbent a desperate gambler. 
 
 ‘ Why,’ again I said, ‘ don’t you get this man dismissed?’ I saw 
 the same smile arise at my simplicity. ‘ La ! Sir, why he is his 
 lordship’s cousin !’ It was a decisive answer — to the principle of 
 private patronage this village also owed the irremediable curse of a 
 gambling parson.” 
 
 Till this scandalous mode — this mode so insulting to the people 
 of a nation like this, of appointing parish ministers — be abandoned, 
 vain is every hope of internal strength and life to the church. Let 
 every parish choose its own pastor, and a new course will commence. 
 The worthy and the talented will take heart, — piety will meet its 
 natural reward, and work its natural works ; the sot and the hireling 
 incubus will disappear ; the vicar will no more come and pocket his 
 yearly 2000/., and leave his curate to do his yearly labour for 100/. ; 
 multitudes of needful reforms will flow into the heart of the church, 
 and a religious regimen and a new life will animate its constitution. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CHURCH REFORM. 
 
 So intolerable has the state of the church, described in the preceding- 
 chapters, become, that the public are now loud in demanding its 
 reform ; and even some of the clergy themselves, sensible that 
 reform is inevitable, with a wise policy, bend in some degree to the 
 popular opinion. 
 
 The ministerial plan for reforming the Irish Church consists 
 principally in reducing the archbishoprics and bishoprics from 
 twenty-two to twelve ; in reducing the incomes of the remaining 
 ones ; in laying on a tax of fifteen per cent, on the general income of 
 the clergy ; in taking off the church cess, or rate, from the people ; 
 and in selling off the lands of the extinguished bishoprics as they fall 
 out of lease. How absurd ! Nothing short of the utter abrogation 
 of Protestant episcopacy, as a state religion, will do. If it were 
 necessary that a religion should be established, as it is called, 
 it ought here to be the Catholic. The opinions of the majority of a 
 nation ought surely to be the guide in such matters. If a nation is 
 to patronize and support one religion in preference to another, 
 it ought surely to be the religion of the nation. The religion of 
 Ireland is Catholic, — the religion of Scotland is Presbyterian. — 
 
 F 
 
66 
 
 HISTORY OF rniESTCRAFT; 
 
 Why should Scotland be permitted to have a church of her own, and 
 Ireland be refused one? Why should the majority in the other 
 parts of the empire decide the establishment of their party, and 
 in Iieland an insignificant sect be thrust upon the people as the 
 NATIONAL RELIGION ; and be bolstered up with tithes, glebes, and 
 wealth enormous? These are plain questions, and suggest a plain 
 answer. 
 
 One circumstance connected with Irish Church reform is charac- 
 teristic of its real nature and extent, as proposed by the present 
 ministers, and ought to have opened tlie eyes of all men. The 
 bishopric of Derry, the most enormously endowed in Ireland, was 
 vacant at the very moment of the organization of this plan of reform. 
 If a number of bishoprics were to be reduced, why should not this 
 have been one? Or if it were not thought desirable to extinguish it, 
 why should not the incumbent of one of those sees who were to be 
 withdrawn, be translated to this, and thus one at least have been in- 
 stantly removed? The surprise which the appointment of a bishop 
 to this see, under these circumstances, created, was at once dis- 
 sipated, and gave place, in the public mind, to a higher surprise, and 
 feeling of indignation, by the discovery that the bishop thus in- 
 stalled, was Dr. Poynton, the brother-in-law of Earl Grey ! This 
 was an assurance sufficiently intelligible. Will a man set himself 
 heartily to cut down a tree in whose topmost branches he has placed 
 his brother? Will a man essay to sink a vessel in which he has 
 embarked his own family ? Will a general proceed cordially to blow 
 up a fortress in which his near relative is commandant? — Then, will 
 Earl Grey set himself heartily to work, to reform efficiently the Irish 
 church ? 
 
 The abolition of this bishopric would have been a thing of the 
 highest importance. Its revenue, according to the present return, is 
 13,000/. ; and it is proposed to reduce it to 8,000/. But what is 
 the estimate of Mr. Wakefield of the value of this see ? — a most com- 
 petent authority. He calculates that the whole of its property, over 
 and above the tenth part of the gross produce of the land, cannot be 
 much short of 3,000, OOOi. ; and that the bishop’s land, at a fair rate 
 of rent, w'ould produce an income of 130,000/. a year. This, then, 
 is the berth into which Earl Grey, in the face of a reformed par- 
 liament — of his ow'n professions of real reform — of suffering England, 
 and starving Ireland, has comfortably put his brother-in-law, and 
 proposes to satisfy the country by the abatement of 5,000/. a year 
 out of this immense property. By the extinction of this bishopric 
 alone, a saving to the country of 3,000,000/. would have been made 
 at once ! — for the question in this case is not what the bishop 
 actually derives from the land, but what it is worth to the nation. 
 
 d’he Irish church reform bill is, however, just such a scheme as 
 might have been expected from Earl Grey. What, indeed, could be 
 looked for? Lord Grey, with two brothers bishops, of his own 
 appointment; the Lord Chancellor, with a vast weight of church 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 67 
 
 patronage ; Mr. Stanley, of a family, in whose possession is one 
 living alone worth 8,000/. a year ; and most of the other ministers 
 mixed up, more or less, with aristocratic church-and-state influence. 
 Accordingly, the Irish Church Reform is one of the most melan- 
 choly farces with which a set of state pretenders ever insulted a great 
 people. The only substantially good thing in it is the abolition of 
 the church cess ; and this is too insignificant in itself, either to 
 satisfy the Irish people, or to relieve the church from the disgrace 
 and odium under which it lies. 
 
 The church will not be placed in its own real and useful position, 
 until it is really and entirely divorced from the state. This unna- 
 tural union, the device of artful politicians, is an injustice to the 
 public, and an indignity to the church itself. The natural effect 
 upon a church in becoming a state religion is, that its freedom is in- 
 stantly extinguished ; every principle of progression and improvement 
 is annihilated ; and the generous spirit which would lead it to 
 expand, and spread itself abroad on the kindred spirits of men, 
 is frozen by the cold breath of worldly policy. Like metal moulten 
 in the furnace, it flows into the state as into a mould, receives its 
 shape and stamp, and sets for ever. It may be dashed to pieces by 
 the application of external force j but, last as long as it may, it will 
 never be moved, remodelled, or purified, from within. It becomes 
 stationary for ever. However all around may be quickened with the 
 moving spirit of knowledge, and excited to activity and fruitfulness, 
 it stands silent and barren. — It is like a tree covered with the knots 
 and burs of antiquated absurdities ; its head a chaos of rotten 
 boughs amid the green vigour of the forest ; and while it is in- 
 sensibly falling to decay, it bears itself with a sturdy and sullen 
 pride? and wears a ludicrous air of superiority in the very moment of 
 its fall. That such is the situation of the Establishment, who can 
 deny ? — Who that calls to mind its doctrine of absolution of sins ; 
 its Athanasian creed, — a thing so monstrous as to horrify and make 
 ashamed the best minds of its own sons ; and moreover, its Thirty- 
 nine Articles, that precious medley of follies and contradictions, — a 
 medley, however, wnich every one, owing to the inflexible nature of 
 the church, is obliged to swallow before he can be ordained a 
 minister, and which Paley, after acknowledging that it was a 
 Gordian knot, endeavoured to cut asunder, by declaring these arti- 
 cles, articles of peace ; as if it would enable men to escape the 
 guilt of falsehood, by treating bitter and contradictory professions of 
 faith as physic, and swallowing them as a necessity ? These articles 
 lie at the door of the church as a threshold of lying ; and, if per- 
 jury does not depend on a form of words, but on the inward denial 
 of a solemn truth, — of perjury, to every one of its ministers w’ho is 
 not wild enough to believe impossibilities : and in one university, 
 stand in the way of every student. The great Jeremy Bentham, one 
 of the noblest, as well as most sagacious minds which ever blessed 
 earth by its presence, has left on record what it cost him to sub- 
 
68 
 
 iiiSTOUY OF priestcraft: 
 
 scribe them ; and numberless are the conscientious spirits wliich 
 have turned away from them in disgust. Yet there they stand at the 
 church-door, in all their glorious contrariety, and would for ever 
 stand, while the church was a member of the state. 
 
 When a church stands on its own simple basis, it may renovate 
 its constitution ; it may explode worn-out creeds ; abandon dogmas 
 or rites that have become hideous in the increased light of universal 
 knowledge, and preserve itself in keeping with the spirit of the age, 
 and in consequent capacity for usefulness ; but, make it a portion of 
 the state, and it immediately becomes a species of high treason to 
 attempt the least change in it. Make its ministers illustrious with 
 dignities, and fat with good livings, and they will for ever cry. 
 
 Great is Diana of the Ephesians \ ” The church will be the best 
 of churches — immaculate and divine ; and they will growl on any 
 one who even dares to look curiously at it, as a jealous dog grcwls 
 over his bone. Make it the road to political power and honour, and 
 you. make its highest ministers the most obsequious slaves of state ; 
 the most relentless enemies of freedom and mercy. 
 
 What Seldensays, is most true — It hath ever been the game of 
 the church, when the king would let the church have no power, 
 to cry down the king, and cry up the church ; but when the church 
 can make use of the king’s power, then to bring all under the king’s 
 prerogative.” In every case, the state clergy are the enemies of the 
 people. They may occasionally spurn at the monarch, when he 
 ceases to be a prelatical jackal — but at all times they are averse to 
 the liberty of the subject. Their hostility to the Reform Bill will not 
 readily be forgotten ; and has, no doubt, hastened by many years the 
 downfal of their order. 
 
 But, the church, ceasing to be a state church, should restore its 
 property to the nation, whence it was drawn. That, in strict justice, 
 all national property should revert to the nation, when the object for 
 which it was bestowed ceases, there can be no question ; in strict 
 justice to the other Christian communities of this country, this ought 
 clearly to be the case, — since, admitting the rights of conscience, the 
 nation ought not to enrich one body of Christians at the expense of 
 the rest. That parliament has a right to recal the loan of church 
 property is clear as daylight. The present priesthood form a stand- 
 ing proof and precedent of it, since it was taken from the Catholics 
 and given to them. 
 
 In resuming the national property, respecting at the same time all 
 private endowments made since the Reformation, which ought to be 
 held as sacred as the private endowments of the Dissenters, every 
 lover of his country, and its monuments of history and art, would 
 desire to see a sufficient fund appropriated to maintain in repair our 
 noble cathedrals — specimens of the architectural genius of our 
 ancestors ; and our parish churches — objects of picturesque beauty. 
 'I'liis fund need not be large, since a handsome sum would arise from 
 letting them as places of worship ; giving always, as a matter of 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 69 
 
 courtesy, the original preference to their present occupiers ; and 
 to pass out of their hands only in case of neglect, desertion, or abuse ; 
 the existence of such sufficient causes to be determined in a manner 
 prescribed by parliament. The parsonages and glebes might also be 
 valued at a moderate price ; the option of purchase given to the 
 episcopalians ; and the payment to be made by such instalments 
 as would render it as little burdensome as possible ; or, let the 
 nation act munificently, as becomes a great nation, and give them 
 freely the parsonages and glebes; always and in every case de- 
 manding the surrender of private patronage, and investing the 
 election of the minister in the people. 
 
 In the disposal of the bulk of the church property, regard should 
 be had to the original intentions of the donors ; and this intention 
 was, according to the best of their knowledge, and the knowledge 
 and opinions of the age, — the Christian enlightenment and in- 
 struction of the people. No appropriation of this wealth appears, 
 therefore, so conducive to this object as that of establishing with it a 
 national system of education. To bring up the children of the state 
 in the way they should go, ought to be, and will be, one of the most 
 serious aims of a Christian community. It is precisely that measure 
 which is, of all others, wanted in our populous country, to prevent 
 that growth of crime, which it is at present the melancholy task of 
 the executive to punish, without a hope of subduing. Much is done 
 by the generous exertions of individuals ; but individual labours 
 cannot reach the extent of the evil ; nor ought the burden, if they 
 could, to rest on them. It is the especial business of the state ; the 
 state ought to see it effected ; and here are ample means ! It 
 would, at the same time, be necessary to guard these means from the 
 lamentable spirit of jobbing which infects almost all our public 
 measures ; and from every partial, sectarian, or personal influence in 
 their distribution, so that the children of all parties should reap an 
 equal benefit. What a glorious reform would this be — what an 
 animating subject of reflection to every patriotic mind — that the 
 wealth which now disappoints and scandalizes the nation, should be 
 turned into a source of perpetual blessings : instead of feeding the 
 riotous, the absentee, the reckless pluralist, or heavy unfaithful in- 
 dolence, it should be pouring knowledge and moral life through 
 the hearts of all the children of the poor in this mighty kingdom ! 
 
 “ A government cannot patronize one particular religion without 
 punishing others. A state has no wealth but the people’s wealth. 
 If it pay some, it impoverishes others.” To tell us that we may all 
 enjoy our own opinions, and celebrate our own worship in perfect 
 freedom, and yet to compel us to support another mode of religion, 
 and another set of opinions, in our eyes erroneous and unchristian, 
 is at once an oppression and a bitter mockery. It is not so much 
 the sum of actual money that we pay, which constitutes the 
 grievance, — that might be borne ; but the gravamen lies here, — 
 that by supporting an establishment, we support what, in the ab- 
 
70 
 
 TIISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 stract, both religiously and morally, we believe ought not to exist. 
 We believe it is the duty of a government, and especially of a Chris- 
 tian government, which acknowledge the sacred rites of conscience, 
 to protect every modification of the Christian religion ; but not to 
 support one in preference to, and at the expense ofi the rest. This 
 is not to patronize religion, hut a party. That an establishment, 
 unjust and impolitic in itself, never can, and never has, promoted 
 true religion, is shewn abundantly by this volume ; it is testified 
 equally by the apathy of the established church, and the activity of 
 the dissenters. Is it not a source of continual complaints and bitter- 
 ness amongst clerical writers, that the dissenters are for ever in- 
 truding themselves into their parishes; and with what they are 
 pleased to term their fiery fanaticism, continually turn the heads of 
 their parishioners, and seduce them to conventicles? Now whether 
 this zeal be healthful or not, whether it be pure or alloyed, refined or 
 coarse, rational or fanatic, it matters not to our present question, — 
 it is zeal. — and the vital question is. Whence does it arise ? How is 
 it maintained? Not, certainly, from a state establishment! — not 
 by charters and endowments. It springs from the soul of the people, 
 and asks no breath of life but their approbation. , 
 
 Here, then, is an acknowledged princi|!fie of religious propagation, 
 more efficacious than all the boasted influence of canonicals and 
 mitres ; of cathedral piles and sounding orchestras ; of all the poli- 
 tical machinery of tithes, and glebes, and church-rates, and forced 
 payments, called by the sarcastic name of gifts and offerings, as if 
 the imposition were not enough, but we must suffer the mockery of 
 being placed in the light of free donors and bowing offerers of gifts 
 at a shrine that we inwardly abhor. Here is a confessed power to 
 keep alive the popular zeal for religion ; — if that zeal wants better 
 guidance, it becomes every good man to lend his hand to its due 
 direction, — but the principle itself is indisputably manifested, and 
 sets the seal for ever to the non- necessity, and therefore to the poli- 
 tical oppression, of a state religion. 
 
 Nothing could justify a state religious establishment, but the total 
 and proven impossibility of keeping alive Christianity without it ; 
 but here it is seen that religious zeal rather takes any other form 
 than that stamped upon it by legal enactments. Like the acanthus 
 pressed under the tile, it rises up with unquenchable vitality all 
 around, and not only buries the dead tile of policy under-iis vigorous 
 vegetation, but gives origin to new orders of Christian architecture. 
 While the zeal of the established clerical order languishes under the 
 weight of good things which its friends have cast upon it ; while 
 bishoprics, and deaneries, and prebends cannot stimulate it to the 
 vital point of proselytism ; while tithes, and glebes, and fines, and 
 parochial fees cannot enliven it, the free breath of popular societies 
 can blow it into a flame that spreads far and wide, and even scorches 
 the canonical skirts of tlie state clergy. Who, after this, shall dare 
 to repeat tlie stale sophism, that Christianity needs the arm of 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 71 
 
 human legislation to support her, — that she must be perclied on 
 cathedral pinnacles to be fairly seen ; that she must be wrapped in 
 alb or surplice, and crowned with shovel-hat or mitre to be reve- 
 renced, and seated on the episcopal throne to be adored? Who 
 shall dare to turn his eye on the United States of America, where 
 there is no state religion, yet where Christianity flourishes not less 
 than amongst us, and then attempt to palm upon us the canting and 
 selfish falsehood, that religion is bound up in a bundle of life with 
 an Act of Parliament? 
 
 By compelling us to support an established religion, we are com- 
 pelled to support and propagate all its errors, its injustice, and its 
 absurdities, however great, and numerous, and pernicious they may 
 be. Every sect in England at present, in contributing to the esta- 
 blishment, contributes to that which it abhors. The denouncer of 
 episcopacy is made to maintain a whole hierarchy of bishops ; the 
 Catholic, what he declares to be pestilent heresies of the most 
 damnable sort ; the Calvinist maintains Arminianism ; the Armi- 
 nian Calvinism ; for, in the church are combined “ A Calvinistic 
 creed, and an Arminian clergy.” The Friend, who believes ail 
 hierarchies anti-christian, who holds that all ministers should speak 
 from the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit, and abominates 
 hireling ministers, written sermons, a cut-and-dried liturgy, and 
 half the doctrines of the church to boot, is forced, by distraint of his 
 goods, to feed and uphold all these enormities ; every man is made 
 to maintain the doctrine of priestly absolution, for the church main- 
 tains it ; and every man is made most heartily to damn himself, for 
 the Athanasian Creed, which is one of the creeds of the church, does 
 declare every man to be damned who doubts it. 
 
 Such a preposterous abuse of power never can be much longer 
 tolerated in this country. The church-rates must be abolished ; 
 indeed the people have shewn, that if the government will not 
 abolish them, they will do it for themselves ; and with them, tithes 
 must cease also : — and hence, as we have said, the ministers have 
 signified their intention to abolish both. 
 
 Every institution professing itself to be a state establishment of 
 Christianity, is a gross insult and standing libel upon Christianity ; 
 for it goes upon this presumption, that it is a religion not capable of 
 its own inherent power to propagate, maintain, and perpetuate itself. 
 It is founded upon the avowed principle that the Christian religion 
 requires the arm of royalty, the protection of legislative enactments, 
 the stimulus of compulsory provision, to prolong its existence ; that, 
 unless a government engrafts upon a whole people the form of this 
 religion, holds in its pay a host of hireling ministers, and recom- 
 mends it by the sanction and force of law, it has not attractions suf- 
 ficient of its own, to draw to it voluntary votaries. Never was reli- 
 gion more scandalously libelled ; never w'as the understanding of a 
 whole nation more insulted, than by this invention and doctrine ! 
 Yet that such is the real principle of state religions, their advocates 
 
72 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT *. 
 
 make no secret of confessing. Every day we are told by reverend 
 and right reverend polemics and pamphleteers, and by the Tory 
 literary and newspaper press, that, “ if we had no established reli- 
 gion, we should soon have no religion at all.” 
 
 What! is this said of that religion for which Christ lived and 
 died ? — that religion, which a prophetic metaphor of most singular 
 truth and beauty, represented as a stone cut out of the moun- 
 tain without hands, which grew and filled the whole earth ?” that 
 religion of which its Divine founder, so far from commanding or re- 
 commending any national establishment, declared that it was a 
 kingdom not of this world ; of which he promised, that where two 
 or three were met together in his name, there he would he, in the 
 midst of them ?” Two or three — not whole nations, whole hierar- 
 chies merely, but two or three — not of any particular name, descrip- 
 tion, or peculiaiity of doctrine ; not merely those sanctioned by kings 
 and priests, by bishops or presbyters ; not great and learned only ; 
 but two or three, of any class, any name, any nation, so that they 
 were but men, and so that they were met together in his name. Can 
 it be this religion which we are told shall dwindle and expire, except 
 it be chartered and rivetted on a state by its government 1 This re- 
 ligion, to whose first ministers Christ said, Provide neither gold, 
 nor silver, nor brass in your purses ; neither scrip for your journey ; 
 nither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet two staves;” but added, 
 “ Go ye into all nations, and preach the gospel ;” assuring them that 
 be would “ be with them always, until the end of the world ?” Can 
 it be of this religion that its professed believers, after eighteen cen- 
 turies of its triumphs, can thus speak — thus fling back in the face of 
 their Redeemer, in contempt and scorn, his own eternal words ? 
 Thus insult the reason of his whole people, in every church and 
 nation, in defiance of history overflowing with proofs that his gospel 
 is an immortal and an invincible principle, asking of human govern- 
 ments none of their purblind enactments, none of their artificial 
 establishments, but only room and freedom to spread and bring every 
 spirit beneath its influence 'I 
 
 What is the testimony of all history ? Did this religion require, 
 or did it enjoy in its infancy, the protection of power, and the 
 smiles of earthly governments ? Every body knows that it arose 
 and grew in spite of them. It had to contend singly with the pre- 
 judices and old idolatries of the whole world. The Jews slew its 
 founder — their own brother — and scattered with bitter persecutions 
 his followers : the Romans, the universal masters of the known 
 earth, pursued them with desolating fury, and lieaped every exter- 
 minating terror on them ; but in the very teeth of all this hatred, they 
 spread and increased till theirs became the predominant religion, 
 and the Roman emperor received it as his own. This was the in- 
 fancy of Christianity. Instead of tithes and national favour, the 
 aliment on which it grew was poverty, persecution, and slaughter ; 
 the hatred and the envy of the wise and strong. This was its 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 73 
 
 infancy ; — but perhaps it will be said that it was an infancy under 
 the immediate watch and guardianship of its divine founder ; under 
 the first out-pourings of his omnipotent spirit. What then? Has 
 this religion grown old ? Can it become decrepid, wasted, and 
 weary ? Has that gushing forth of the divine spirit entirely ceased ? 
 Has Christ indeed spoken a lie ? Has he failed to be with his 
 disciples alway, to the end of the world ? Has he failed to be in 
 the midst of the two or three ? Let the events of these latter days 
 speak for themselves. For a thousand years this celestial faith suf- 
 fered eclipse ; for a thousand years, clasped in the iron arms of 
 monarchy ; overwhelmed with delusive flatteries, bound by law upon 
 law, and tradition upon tradition, it has been “ cribbed, cabined, 
 and confined.’" Lies have been propagated in its name ; swarms 
 of vile creatures have made it an inexhaustible prey, and have 
 heaped upon its head abuses scandalous and loathsome. It has had 
 to contend with the desolations of barbarism, the selfish pretences of 
 kings and priests, and the stupified spirits of a trodden populace ; 
 but it has lived through all. It has suffered that which would have 
 been tenfold death to aught less than divine ; and has even given 
 life and beneficent power to institutions in themselves deadly. Like 
 the fabled lamp of the Rosicrucians, its light has lain buried in the 
 ruins of cities and temples, and has flashed through the chinks of 
 tombs ; till, in these latter times, it has burst on the startled eyes 
 of the explorers, into the waste places of the earth, with a blaze like 
 that of the sun. 
 
 It was triumphant in its early career ; has it been less so in its 
 latest ? Let the champions of the Reformation ; let America ; let 
 our missionary societies ; let the dissenters in general, and the 
 Methodists in particular, reply. W as it by the aid of states that 
 the doctrines of the reformers spread? Let Huss and Jerome of 
 Prague, let Oldcastle, let Cranmer, Latimer, and a thousand other 
 martyrs, speak to this. But what establishment has given Christi- 
 anity such splendid prevalence in America ? Has this been the 
 effect of mitres and lawn sleeves, of wealthy lordships and fat 
 livings presented by government or private patrons in scorn of the 
 popular choice ? No! religion has in the United States all that 
 true Christianity asks, — freedom to operate, and human hearts to 
 operate upon. This is a great experiment on the intrinsic and 
 unabated vitality of this blessed faith, which is worth a world of 
 arguments, — which includes all arguments within itself ; an experi- 
 ment which will put to silence every cavilling of the interested, — 
 for it has succeeded even to the amplitude of the apostolic age. 
 Fain would the spiritual despots escape from the invitable conclu- 
 sions to be drawn from this great example,— -but they cannot do it. 
 They tell us that British America is yet in its infancy ; and they 
 add, in the bitterness of an unhallowed hope, it may yet stum- 
 ble in its career. What then? Let America fall from its high 
 estate to morrow ; let it grow drunk with prosperity, and rend itself 
 
74 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 to pieces in the frenzy of ambitious discord ; let Christianity be 
 fettered to the car of state, as in Europe what then ? The great 
 trial is made and decided ! Christianity has been cast upon the 
 bosom of a multitudinous people, — a people compounded of many 
 a mingled origin ; daily contaminated by swarming arrivals of the 
 most debased outpourings of European population ; and, even in 
 such a soil, it has proved that so long as a legislature refrains 
 totally from interference with it, it will flourish with all the energy 
 of its youth. Look,” says an American writer quoted by Mr. 
 Marshall in his work on Establishments, “ at the ten thousand 
 clergymen, the free choice of the people, living in the hearts, and 
 supported by the free-will offerings of their respective flocks, and 
 exerting a moral influence, and imparting a moral benefit, far more 
 extensive and lasting than the English priesthood, with all its 
 secular power, and patronage, and wealth.” But it is not merely 
 to the settled population of the United States that Christianity thus 
 shews itself in its native strength ; it can afford to go forth, by its 
 domestic missions, to every obscure haunt of the back- woodsmen ; 
 nay, it can afford, in the power of voluntary contribution, to have 
 its foreign missions. The “ Christian xldvocate,” for November 
 1830, published at Philadelphia, says, “ There are forty-seven 
 missionary stations under the direction of the Board. One is at 
 Bombay, five in Ceylon, one at Malta, one at Bayroot, six at the 
 Sandwich Islands, and thirty-three among the North American 
 Indians. About 11,000 converted heathens have been received 
 into the mission churches ; a large portion of them within the last 
 year, and great numbers are brought under religious restraint, giving 
 more or less an evidence of piety. At least 50,000 learners are 
 enrolled in the mission schools ; and about 600 teachers, most of 
 them natives, who have themselves been taught by missionary in- 
 fluence, are employed in them. The missionaries and the Board 
 have made use of the press for the dissemination of knowledge in 
 eleven languages, — namely, Mahratta, Tamul, Aimeno-Turkish, 
 Arabic, Greek, Italian, Cherokee, Choctaw, Seneca, Abernakee, 
 and Hawaiian.” 
 
 And all this is done by a nation in that stage of its career in 
 which all other people have been cruel barbarians ; a nation that 
 takes not a penny from the state to maintain its preachers ; a 
 nation that our state-fed priests have dared to brand' as irreligious 
 and even atheistical, while they have themselves been rioting in 
 idleness on those prodigious funds sacrificed by England to a state 
 creed ! 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 75 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 A CHAPTER OF WORTHIES. 
 
 But while we condemn all political religions in toto, let us beware 
 of condemning innocent men. I have declared in the very outset of 
 my volume, that excellent men are involved in the intricacies of the 
 worst systems. Let us not spare the systems for the men, for such 
 men are necessarily few, and the welfare of all society is concerned 
 in the destruction of religious impositions, — but let us spare the men 
 for their own sakes. In every system, I say, such men are to be 
 found, — men who are not good through the system, but in spite of 
 it ; — men who, in their simplicity of heart, think little of the scheme 
 with which they are bound up, so entirely are their souls occupied 
 with the one great thought, to be and do good ; or if they think at 
 all of the system, they are so blinded by the power of education as 
 not to perceive its defects ; or if they do perceive them, feel too much 
 their own individual weakness to think of contending against a 
 mighty national plan, but hope rather to bring good out of evil. 
 
 It will be a delightful employment to forget for a moment the 
 horrors and indignities of the theme we have thus far pursued, by 
 fixing our attention on those good men, the salt of the earth, the true 
 beneficent children of that beneficent Christ, who suffered all evil, 
 and wrought all good. 
 
 VVe need only take one specimen — such was Fenelon ! Where 
 could there exist under any system a more beautiful, consummate 
 specimen of Christian perfection than in this man I I do not mean 
 to say that he was free from human errors or weakness ; but that that 
 perfection of Christian benevolence, that humility and piety of heart 
 which Christianity can alone inspire, dwelt eminently in him. He 
 had truly learned, what Coleridge has so beautifully taught, that 
 love is the soul of the religion of Christ : 
 
 Farewell, farewell ! but this I tell 
 To thee, thou wedding-guest; 
 
 He prayeth well, who loveth well 
 Both man, and bird, and beast. 
 
 He prayeth best, who loveth best 
 All things both great and small ; 
 
 For the dear God who loveth us. 
 
 He made and loveth all. 
 
 Such a man was our own Bernard Gilpin, called, for his zeal and 
 virtue, the Apostle of the North. How the heart glows and expands 
 at the contemplation of such noble beings. Bernard Gilpin, like 
 Fenelon, was educated a papist, but becoming, from the growing 
 influence of protestantism, uneasy with its dogmas, he was advised 
 by his uncle Tonstal, bishop of Durham, to go abroad for a year or 
 two to converse with the most eminent professors of both faiths. 
 
76 
 
 HISTORY OF priestcraft: 
 
 But here a difficulty presented itself — the expense. The bishop told 
 him his living would in part supply that ; but Gilpin’s conscience 
 could not tolerate the idea of what is so easily tolerated by thousands 
 of our present clergy ; his notions of the pastoral care were so strict, 
 that he thought no excuse could justify non-residence for so consi- 
 derable a time as he intended to be abroad ; he therefore resigned 
 his living to a suitable person, and set out. He spent three years in 
 Holland, Germany, and Florence; and returned during the period 
 of the Marian persecution. His uncle presented him with the rec- 
 tory of Easington, and made him archdeacon of Durham ; but his 
 conscience would not long let him hold them ; he resigned them, 
 and accepted the rectory of Houghton — a pastoral charge, more con- 
 sonant to his notions of ministerial duty. This rectory was worth 
 about 400/. per annum — a large sum for that day ; but it was pro- 
 portionably laborious, being so extensive as to contain no less than 
 fourteen villages, overcast with the darkness of popish ignorance 
 and superstition. He preached and laboured with the zeal and 
 affection of a primitive apostle ; the people flocked about him with 
 enthusiasm, and received from him at once temporal and spiritual 
 blessings; and his enemies were as much exasperated. He was 
 pointed out as a proper victim to that monster of all priestly 
 butchery, the ‘‘ Bloody Bonner,” and was speedily apprehended 
 by the emissaries of that detestable wretch. His friends had not 
 failed in time to warn him of his danger; but he refused to fly. He 
 had even a garment made, in w’hich he might go decently to the 
 stake, and used daily to put it on till he was taken into custody. 
 Fortunately, the queen died before he reached London ; and he re- 
 turned to his parish amid the joyful acclamations of his delighted 
 people. Here he continued to live and labour in all good works : 
 he established schools, obtaining able masters from Oxford ; and 
 when he met a boy upon the road, he would make a trial of his 
 capacity by a few questions ; and if he found him to his mind, he 
 sent him to school, and if he there kept up his first promise, after- 
 wards to the university. Many of his scholars became ornaments 
 to the church and nation, — amongst them Henry Ayrey, provost of 
 Queen’s College; George Carleton, bishop of Chichester; and 
 Hugh Broughton. 
 
 His hospitable manner of living was the admiration of the whole 
 country ; and strangers and travellers met with a cheerful reception. 
 Even their beasts had so much care taken of them, that it was 
 humorously said, if a horse was turned loose in any part of the 
 country, it would immediately make its way to the rectory of 
 Houghton. Every Sunday, from Michaelmas to Easter, was a sort 
 of public day with him. During this season he expected to see all 
 his parishioners and their families, whom he seated, according to 
 their ranks, at three tables ; and when absent from home, the same 
 establishment was kept up. When Lord Burleigh, then Lord Trea- 
 surer, was sent on public affairs into Scotland, he unexpectedly paid 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 77 
 
 a visit to Mr. Gilpin ; but the economy of his house w^as not easily 
 disconcerted ; and he entertained the statesman and his retinue in 
 such a manner as made him acknowledge he could hardly have 
 expected more at Lambeth. Lord Burleigh made great offers of 
 advancement to him, which he respectfully but firmly declined, feel- 
 ing persuaded he was in a far more useful sphere than in a bishopric. 
 On looking back from an eminence, after he left Houghton, Bur- 
 leigh could not help exclaiming, “ There is the enjoyment of life 
 indeed ! Who can blame that man for not accepting a bishopric ? 
 What doth he want to make him greater, happier, or more useful to 
 mankind?” 
 
 ‘‘ Mr. Gilpin’s labours,” says his worthy descendant and biogra- 
 pher, the late Rev. William Gilpin, “ extended beyond his own 
 parish. He every year visited divers neglected parishes in North- 
 umberland, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Westmorland, and Cumberland ; 
 and that his own flock might not suffer, he was at the expense of a 
 constant assistant. In all his journeys, he did not fail to visit the 
 gaols and places of confinement ; and by his labours and affectionate 
 manner of behaviour, he is said to have reformed many abandoned 
 persons, in those abodes of human misery. He had set places and 
 times of preaching, in the different parts of the country, which were 
 as regularly attended as the assize times of a circuit. If he came to 
 a place in which there was a church, he made use of it ; if not, of 
 barns, or any other large buildings, where great crowds were sure to 
 flock, — some, probably, for his bounty, — but he had a sort of enthu- 
 siastic warmth in his addresses, which roused many to a sense of 
 religion who had never thought of any thing serious before. The 
 dangers and fatigues attending this employment, were, in his esti- 
 mation, abundantly compensated by the advantages accruing from 
 them to his uninstructed fellow-creatures. He did not spare the 
 rich. Barnes, bishop of Durham, who had succeeded his uncle 
 Tonstal, was early prejudiced against him by his enemies. The 
 bishop therefore resolved to go and hear him preach ; and Gilpin 
 prepared him such a sermon as terrified all his friends — they con- 
 sidered it all over with him, and blamed him severely for giving the 
 bishop such a handle against him. He only replied, that ‘ if the 
 discourse should do the good he intended, he was regardless of its 
 consequences to himself-’ He had laid down the duties of a Chris- 
 tian bishop in the freest and most energetic terms. He immediately 
 called on the prelate, who said, ‘ Sir, 1 intend to wait on you home 
 myself.’ When they arrived at the rectory, and entered the house, 
 the bishop turned suddenly round, and grasping him eagerly by the 
 hand, said, ‘ Father Gilpin, I know you are fitter to be bishop of 
 Durham, than I am to be parson of this church of yours. I ask for- 
 giveness of past injuries. Forgive me, father ; I know you have 
 enemies; but while I live to be bishop of Durham, none of them 
 shall cause you any further trouble.’ ” Noble Gilpin ! noble 
 bishop ! such an incident is worth a thousand pages of the ordinary 
 
78 
 
 HISTORY OF TRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 annals of priests and prelates. Here then lived and died this good 
 old man. He is said, by unwearied application, to have amassed a 
 vast stock of knowledge; to have been ignorant of no part of learn- 
 ing in esteem at that time ; to have been more than usually skilled 
 in the classic languages, history, and poetry, in which he excelled : 
 but every thing he made subservient to the more ennobling and ad- 
 vantaging of his Christian ministry. 
 
 He bore his great commission in his look, 
 
 But sweetly tempered awe, and softened all he spoke. 
 
 He preached the joys of heaven, and pains of hell, 
 
 And warned the sinner with becoming zeal ; 
 
 But on eternal mercy loved to dwell. 
 
 He taught the gospel rather than the law. 
 
 And forced himself to drive, but loved to draw. 
 
 INow through tlie land his cure of souls he stretched, 
 
 And like a primitive apostle preached ; 
 
 Still cheerful, ever constant to his call ; 
 
 By many followed, and admired by all. 
 
 Such was the saint, who shone with every grace, 
 
 Reflecting, Moses-like, his Maker’s face. 
 
 God saw his lively image was expressed, 
 
 And his own work, as in creation, blessed. 
 
 Chaucer's Good Parson, 
 
 For his exemplary piety, for his laborious virtue, and unbounded 
 benevolence, he deserves to have his name transmitted to all poste- 
 rity with the reverence felt, and the title conferred on him by his 
 cotemporaries — the Apostle of the North. 
 
 Such men, too, were those who watched over the infant fortunes 
 of the reformation in England. We need not say more of them, for 
 they sealed their testimonies in their blood. W e have already seen, 
 that although Cranmer, Ridley, Latimer, Grindal, Taylor of Had- 
 leigh, and their cotemporai ies, had many of the errors of their papal 
 education clinging about them, they were honestly resolved, ready 
 from their souls to live and die for what they deemed the truth, and 
 that if kingly power had not prevented it, they would have brought 
 the English church far nearer the Christian standard. Such after- 
 wards were Archbishops Abbot and Usher. Such were there, too, 
 amongst the parish clergy, and pre-eminently George Herbert. 
 
 This good man was brother of the celebrated Lord Herbert of 
 Cherbury, who, himself a disbeliever, has left the highest testimony 
 to the Christian worth of George. In his youth, George Herbert 
 was, like his brother, much of a courtier, and a most ingenious flat- 
 terer. He was born in 1593, at Montgomery Castle. In 1619 he 
 was appointed University orator at Cambridge ; but being a great 
 proficient in music, to which he was enthusiastically attached ; of 
 fascinating person and manners ; fond of gaiety of dress and life ; 
 and of great ingenuity of wit, and mental attainments; his society 
 
THE ENGLISH CHURCH. 
 
 79 
 
 was courted by the great and fashionable, and not less by the 
 learned. Lord Bacon is said to have consulted him on his writings 
 before they went to press, and dedicated to him his translation of 
 some of the Psalms, as the best judge of sacred poetry. The king 
 was fond of his conversation ; Bishop Andrews w'as a great admirer 
 of him ; and Sir Henry Wotton, Dr. Donne, and other celebrated men 
 of his time, were amongst his associates. 'I’he court appeared, there- 
 fore, the fit element for such a character ; and there he, in fact, was 
 chiefly to be found. But fortunately for himself and for others, his 
 prospects there were blasted by the death of his chief patrons, the 
 Duke of Richmond and the Marquis of Hamilton, and finally by 
 that of James himself. These losses gave his mind such a shock 
 and awakening, that he retired into the country, and lived some 
 time in the strictest privacy, reviewing with regret his past life, and 
 resolving thenceforth to dedicate himself to the service of religion. 
 “ I will,” he said, “ consecrate ail my learning, and all my abili- 
 ties, to advance the glory of that God who gave them ; knowing that 
 I can never do too much for Him that has done so much for me as 
 to make me a Christian. And 1 will labour to be like my Saviour, 
 by making humility lovely in the eyes of all men; and by following 
 the merciful and meek example of my dear J esus. ” Such was his resolu- 
 tion ; and few men have more entirely fulfilled it, in every respect. 
 His life from this time became a pattern to all, and especially to his 
 brethren in the church. 
 
 One of his first acts was to rebuild the parish church of Leighton 
 Bromswold, in the diocese of Lincoln, at risk of great expense to 
 himself; but he principally passed his short, but memorable life, on 
 his living at Bemerton, in Wilts. Here he lived as Gilpin had 
 lived in the north, making himself the blessing of his flock. Here 
 he wrote his “ Priest to the Temple, or Country Parson an ad- 
 mirable manual for a parochial pastor, and one which, would our 
 clergy model themselves upon, would soon produce, not merely a 
 reform of the chuich, but of the whole country. 
 
 To these names of light in the book of good memorial we might 
 add that of Fletcher of Madeley, whole life was like theirs, and who 
 refused a living for two rare reasons — the income was too large, and 
 the duty too small ! We might add that of William Mompesson, 
 whose patriotic devotion, when the plague raged in his village of 
 Eyam, is well known. We might add, also, the names of many 
 missionaries, who have done good far and wide. 
 
 These men, I say, are the salt of the earth ; they shew what 
 Christianity will effect, when it is faithfully received, and fittingly 
 preached. It would be delightful to dwell longer upon them. These 
 are the men that 1 would fain see scattered through every parish of 
 this country — I care not under what distinctive name ; for, while 1 
 would gladly behold every state religion destroyed, I should rejoice 
 to see Christianity prospering in every shape to which men can 
 
80 
 
 HISTORY OF PRIESTCRAFT : 
 
 attach themselves with heart and understanding. But how are such 
 men to become general in the pulpits of what is called the Church 
 of England 1 Again we must declare, that it can be by no other 
 means than a total separation of that church from that state — a total 
 abolition of the system of patronage ! I have already shewn to what 
 a woful condition these things have reduced it ; I have shewn that 
 while these things continue, good men must necessarily be excluded, 
 and the idle, the dissipated, and the incompetent, fill it. Heredi- 
 tary succession, and the long purse, will still cast out simple piety. 
 The incumbents of our 10,560 parishes, chosen, in the first place, 
 from the luxurious arid extravagant classes of society, must next be 
 educated at those Universities, which Milton, in his day, and 
 Wesley, Whitfield, Uell, Simpson, in more recent times, and 
 Beverly at this moment, have declared, from intimate knowledge, to 
 be the veriest sinks of wickedness, and the mere venders of monkish 
 and inefficient education. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Thus we have traversed the field of the world. We have waded 
 through a mass of priestly enormities. We have seen nations sitting 
 in the regions of darkness, because their priests shut up knowledge 
 in the dark lanterns of their selfishness. We have seen slavery and 
 ignorance blasting, under the guidance of priestly hands, millions 
 upon millions of our race, and making melancholy the fairest por- 
 tions of the earth. We have listened to sighs and the dropping of 
 tears, to the voice of despair and the agonies of torture and death ; 
 we have entered dungeons, and found captives wasted to skeletons 
 with the years of their solitary endurance j we have listened to their 
 faint whispers, and have found that they uttered the cruelties of 
 priests. We have stumbled upon midnight tribunals, and seen men 
 stretched on racks; torn piecemeal with fiery pincers ; or plunged 
 into endless darkness by the lancing of their eyes ; arid have asked 
 whose actions these were! —and answered — “ The priests!” We 
 have visited philosophers, and found them carefully concealing their 
 discoveries, which would suddenly have filled the earth with light, 
 and power, and love, — because they knew the priests would turnon 
 them in their greedy malice, and doom them to fire or gibbet. We 
 have walked among women of many countries, and have found 
 thousands lost to shame, rolling wanton eyes, uttering hideous 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 81 
 
 words. We have turned from them with loathing, but have heard 
 them cry after us, as we went — ‘‘ Our hope is in the priests, — they 
 are our lovers, and defenders from eternal fire.” We have entered, 
 for shelter from this horror, the abodes of domestic love, and have 
 stood petrified to find even there all desecrated — purity destroyed — 
 faith overthrown — happiness annihilated ; — and it was the work of 
 priests ! Finally, we have seen kings, otherwise merciful, insti- 
 gated by the devilish logic of priestcraft, become the butchers of 
 their people ; queens, otherwise glorious, become tyrants and execu- 
 tioners ; and people, who would otherwise have lived in blessed 
 harmony, warring on each other with inextinguishable malice and 
 boundless blood-thirstiness; and behold! it was priestcraft, that, 
 winding amongst them like a poisonous serpent, maddened them 
 with its breath, and exulted, with fiendish eyes, over their horrible 
 carnage. All this we have beheld, and what is the mighty lesson it 
 has taught? It is this — that if the people hope to enjoy happiness, 
 mutual love, and general prosperity, they must carefully snatch from 
 the hands of their spiritual teachers all political power, and confine 
 them solely to their legitimate task of Christian instruction. Let it 
 always be borne in mind, that, from the beginning of the world to 
 this time, there never was a single conspiracy of schoolmasters 
 against the liberties and the mind of man ; but, in every age, the 
 priests, the spiritual schoolmasters, have been the most subtle, 
 the most persevering, the most cruel enemies and oppressors of their 
 species. The moral lesson is stamped on the destinies of every 
 nation, — the inference is plain enough to the dullest capacity Your 
 preachers, while they are preachers alone, are harmless as your 
 schoolmasters ; they have no motive to injure your peace ; but let 
 them once taste power, or the fatal charm of too much wealth, and 
 the consequent fascinations of worldly greatness, and, like the tiger 
 who has once tasted blood, they are henceforth your cruellest de- 
 vourers and oppressors. 
 
 And let one great truth be marked. — The prevalent character of 
 a public body stamps itself in the public mind as faithfully as a 
 man’s face in a mirror. There may be exceptions to a body, and 
 they may be considerable : but when that body becomes proverbial ; 
 when it is, as a whole, the object of the jokes, the sarcasms, and 
 the contempts of the people, that body is not partially, but almost 
 wholly corrupt. Now such is the character of the church of 
 England clergy, in the mind of the British people. We may be 
 toW it is the vulgar opinion, and that the vulgar are wrong. In 
 judgments of this kind, the vulgar, as they are called, are right. 
 They always were so ; but this, too, will be denied. A body in its 
 corruption never did, and never will admit it : its only feeling will 
 be anger, not repentance. When the Romish church was utterly 
 corrupted ; when its priests and monks were the scandal and the 
 scorn of all men, did the church admit it? did it reform them? — 
 When Luther’s artillery was thundering against it, and shaking it 
 
 £ 
 
82 
 
 HISTORV OF PRIESTCTAFT : 
 
 to its foundations, did it admit the justice of his attack ? No ! it 
 only turned in rage, and would have devoured him, as it devoured 
 all other reformers. When he had knocked down many of its 
 pillars, blown up many of its bastions, laid bar^ to public scorn 
 and indignation its secret fooleries and horrors, it rele^Xed not an 
 atom of its pretensions; it abated not a jot of its pride; it stayed 
 not its bloody arm ; shunned not to proclaim itself still holy, invul- 
 nerable, and supreme. While Dante and Boccaccio laughed at its 
 errors, or declaimed against its abuses, in its own territories ; while 
 Erasmus in the Netherlands, Chaucer in England, and Sir David 
 Lindsay, the Chaucer of Scotland, were pouring ineffable and 
 everlasting ridicule on its monks, its priests and pardoners, they 
 were told that theirs was but the retailing of vulgar ignorance and 
 envy; — but what followed? Time proclaimed it Truth. The 
 corrupted tribes were chased away by popular fury and scorn, and 
 have left only a name which is an infamy and a warning. 
 
 From age to age, the great spirits of the world have raised their 
 voices and cried, Liberty ! but the cry has been drowned by the 
 clash of arms, or the brutish violence of uncultured mobs. Ho- 
 mer and Demothenes in Greece, Cicero in Rome, the poets and 
 martyrs of the middle ages ; our sublime Milton, the maligned, 
 but immovable servant and sufferer of freedom, who laid down on 
 her altar his peace, his comfort, and his very eyesight ; our Hamp- 
 dens and Sydneys, the Hofers and Bolivars of other lands, have, 
 from age to age, cried, Liberty ! but ignorance and power have 
 been commonly too much for them. But at length, light from the 
 eternal sanctuary .of truth has spread over every region ; into the 
 depths and the dens of poverty it has penetrated ; the scholar and 
 the statesman are compelled to behold, in the marriage of Chris- 
 tianity and Knowledge, the promise of the establishment of peace, 
 order, and happiness, — the reign of rational freedom. We are in 
 the very crisis in which old things are to be pulled down, and new 
 ones established on the most ancient of foundations, — justice to the 
 people. To effect safely this momentous change, requires all the 
 watchfulness and the wisdom of an intelligent nation. The ex- 
 perience of the world’s history, warns us to steer the safe middle 
 course between the despotism of the aristocracy and that of a mob ; 
 between the highest and the lowest orders of society. The intelli- 
 gence, and not the wealth or multitudes of a state, must give the 
 law of safety. To this intelligence we say, — Be warned by universal 
 history ! Snatch from the priesthood all political power ; abandon 
 all state religion ; place Christianity on its own base — the universal 
 heart of the people ; let preachers be as schoolmasters, simply 
 teachers ; eschew reverend justices of the peace ; very reverend 
 politicians ; and right reverend peers and legislators. They must 
 neither meddle with your wills, nor take the tenth of your corn ; 
 they must neither tax the people to maintain houses in which to 
 preach against truth ; nor persecute you, or seize goods for Easter 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 83 
 
 offerings and smoke-money. The system by which they tax you at 
 your entry into the world j tax you at your marriage ; at your 
 death ; must be abolished. The system by which you are made to 
 pay for every thing, and to have a voice in nothing — not even in 
 the choice of a good minister, or the dismissal of a vile and 
 scandalous debauchee 5 by which you are made the helpless puppet 
 of some obtuse squire, and the prey of some greedy and godless 
 priest, must have an end. 
 
 On this age, the happiness of centuries — the prosperity of Truth, 
 depend; — let it not disappoint the expectations, and mar the 
 destinies of millions ! 
 
 THE END. 
 
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 grant; containing Observations on the Manners, Soil, Climate, and 
 Husbandry of the Americans ; with Estimates of Outfit, Charges of 
 Voyage, and Travelling Expenses, and a comparative Statement of 
 the Advantages offered in the United States and Canada : thus ena- 
 bling persons to form a judgment on the propriety of Emigration. 
 
 By JOSEPH PICKERING, 
 
 Late of Fennv Stratford, Buckinghamshire, and now of Canada. 
 
 “ The author of this little work is neither more nor less than a plain, practical 
 English farmer. His Narrative is interspersed with a number of amusing incidents 
 and useful hints, accompanied also with such other remarks as occasion and circum- 
 stances seemed to require. There is one quality in this little work which we cannot 
 but value — and which is, the absence of all attempt at deception.” — Farmer s Journal. 
 
 Fourth Edition, with His Majesty’s Commissioners' Regulations 
 for Emigrants. Price 4s. 
 
 THE CANADAS; 
 
 As they at present commend themselves to the enterprise of EMI- 
 GRANTS, Colonists, and Capitalists. Comprehending a variety of 
 Topographical Reports concerning the quality of the Soil, &c. in 
 different Districts ; and the fullest general information for Settlers 
 and Tourists. Compiled and condensed from original Documents 
 furnished by JOHN GALT, Esq. late of the Canada Company, and 
 of the British American Association. 
 
 ** An indispensable book of reference, as well as a work displaying a great deal of 
 good sense, just discrimination, and proper feeling, applied to a highly beneficial 
 and important practical end.” — New Monthly Magazine. 
 
 Second Edition, in One thick Volume, Price 5s. cloth. 
 
 STATISTICS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
 
 FOR THE USE OF 
 
 EMIGRANTS AND TRAVELLERS. 
 
 By THOMAS J. TREDWAY, 
 
 Of the State of Tennessee. 
 
 “ It is one of the 'best manuals yet composed for the guidance of travellers and 
 emigrants.” — Chambers's Edinburgh Journal^ 
 
 In 18mo. sewed. Price 2s. 6d. 
 
10 
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCF. 
 
 THE GERMAN IN ENGLAND. 
 
 In 2 Vols. post 8vo. with a Portrait, Price 218. 
 
 TOUR OF A GERMAN PRINCE. 
 
 TOUR IN GP:RMANY, HOLLAND, AND ENGLAND: 
 Forming the two concluding volumes of the Tour of a German 
 Prince. Comprising, London, — The Nobility, and their Mansions, 
 &c. — the Ascot, Newmarket, Doncaster, and York Races; — and 
 Tour to the North of England, &c. 
 
 Also, price IBs. a New Edition of Vols. I. and TI. ; 
 
 Comprising the SOUTHERN and VVl'.STERN PARTS of ENG- 
 LAND, WALES, IRELAND, and FRANCE. 
 
 The Tour of a German Prince is a work of much interest to Englishmen, since it 
 tells with truth and without ceremony, what an individual capable of judging really 
 thinks of our country and its people. The writer, indeed, appears to have carefully 
 committed to paper the events of every day at its close ; hence the impressions are 
 most distinct, striking, and lively ; so graphic and true, indeed, are his pictures, 
 that we feel as if we were the companions of his journey, and the partakers of 
 his adventures.” — Scotsman. 
 
 The VVork complete in 4 Vols. Price 39s. 
 
 NARRATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL RESULT OF A 
 VOYAGE IN THE SOUTH SEAS, 
 
 Performed by order of the Government of British India, to ascertain 
 the actual Fate of X*a ^erOUSe’S SlxpeditiOIly interspersed 
 with accounts of the Religion, xMatiners, Customs, and Cannibal 
 Practices of the South Sea Islanders. By 
 
 The CHEVALIER CAPT. P. DILLON, M.L.H., A.S.B., G.S.P., &c. 
 In Two Volumes, 8vo., Plates, Price 24s. boards. 
 
 (g©[Ml[i^u[l[S(g[ia 
 
 THE MODERN CAMBIST; 
 
 Or, MANUAL OF FOREIGN EXCHANGES, 
 
 In the direct, indirect, and cross operations of Bills of Exchange and 
 Bullion ; including an extensive Investigation of the Arbitrations of 
 Exchange, according to the practice of the first British and Foreign 
 Houses, with numerous Formulae and Tables of the Weights and Mea- 
 sures of other Countries, compared with the Imperial Standards. 
 
 By william TATE. 
 
 ** This manual ought to have a place in every Merchant’s Counting-house, and in 
 every Scliool where Youth is educated for mercantile pursuits. The author is a man 
 of undoubted ability, and has been employed, we understand, to make the Bullion 
 Calculations for the Royal Mint.” — Mercantile Journal* 
 
 'I’hird Edition with Additions, in One VoL, 8vo. Price 10s. 6d cloth. 
 
TRADE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 11 
 
 A NEW SYSTEM OF COMMERCIAL ARITHMETIC, 
 
 Containing a new and an improved arrangement of the Theory of 
 the Science, with an extensive application of its principles to various 
 calculations in every department of business, particularly the Public 
 Funds, Marine Insurances, and Exchanges. 
 
 By W. rATE, Jun., 
 
 Master of the Commercial Academy, Well Court, Queen Street, Cheapside, 
 In One Volume, 12mo. neatly bound. Price 3s. 
 
 APPENDIX TO TATE’S ARITHMETIC; 
 
 Exhibiting the methods employed by Merchants, Bankers, and 
 Brokers, for the Valuations of Merchandize, Mental per Centages, 
 Interest, Accounts in Accounts-Current, the Public Funds, Marine 
 Insurances, the Standarding of Gold and Silver, the Arbitrations of 
 Exchange in Bills, Bullion, and Merchandize, and Actual and pro- 
 forma Statements of British and Foreign Invoices and Account Sales. 
 
 Mr. W. Tate, jun. bids fair to rival the calculating powers of his father. In this 
 work he oifers more of the practice, and less of the scholastic mystification, than is 
 to be found in any other work on arithmetic .” — Morning News» 
 
 ** It is well executed, and appears to be the result of very patient attention.” — 
 Bell's New Messenger. 
 
 In 12mo. Price 2s. 6d. bound ; or the complete Work neatly 
 bound in One Volume, Price 5s. 
 
 BOOK-KEEPING. 
 
 A NEW CHECK JOURNAL 
 UPON THE PRINCIPLE OF DOUBLE ENTRY, 
 Combining the advantages of the Day-book, Journal, and Cash- 
 book. The whole familiarly explained, and forming a complete and 
 Practical System of Book-Keeping by Double Entry, with 
 copious Illustrations of Interest Accounts, Joint Adventures, and 
 Joint Purchases, and a New and more Simple Method of Book- 
 Keeping, or Double Entry by Single. To which is now first 
 appended, Observations on the most effectual means of preventing 
 and detecting Fraud, Error, and Embezzlement, both in Cash 
 Transactions, and in the Receipt and Delivery of Goods, &c. 
 
 By GEORGE JACKSON, Accountant. 
 
 ** If simplicity, brevity, and clearness, may be esteemed important to the adcurate 
 record of commercial accounts, this work of Mr. Jackson’s will be found a valuable 
 assistant to all men of business. It places all matters connected with the mercantile 
 world in such a plain light, that the confusion attendant upon irregularity or ignorance 
 may be avoided and prevented by a mere mechanical observance of the system he 
 lays down. His plan is and conclusive, and the improvements he suggests 
 
 upon the works of his predecessors are the evident results of long experience and 
 consideration.’’ — Atlas, 
 
 Fifth Edition, in One Vol. 8vo., Price 6s. 
 
12 
 
 TRADi: AND COMMERCE. 
 
 TO BANKERS, MERCHANTS, AND TRADESM EN. 
 
 TABLES OF INTEREST, 
 
 On a New Plan, 
 
 By which the Interest of any Sum, conHccutively from One Pound 
 to a Thousand, from One to Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days, 
 will be found at one View, without the trouble or risk of Additions. 
 Also, the Fractional Parts of a Pound, and from One to Ten Thou- 
 sand Pounds, at Five per Cent. 
 
 To which is added, a separate Supplement, that renders these 
 Tables equally applicable to any other Rate per Cent. 
 
 By DAVID BOOTH. 
 
 “ I have examined * Mr. Booth’s Interest Tables;’ the arrangement is novel and 
 perspicuous; and I have no hesitation in affirming, that the work will be far more 
 useful to the public than any one which has hitherto appeared on the subject. 
 
 “ Chahles Cartwright, 
 Accountant-General to the East India Company.*’ 
 In 4to. Price l/. 1.9. half-bound. 
 
 THE MERCHANT’S AND TRADESMAN’S ASSISTANT, 
 akd 
 
 ©ompletest Hratip l^ecfeoner. 
 
 Being Tables for Business in general, on a New Plan, shewing, with 
 facility, the Value of any number of Articles at any Price, from 
 One Farthing to Twenty Shillings; Dividends on Bankrupt Estates, 
 at any Rate in the Pound ; Parts of an Ounce of Gold, or Silver, at 
 any Price per Ounce ; auy Number of Pounds Weight, at any price 
 per cwt. ; also the Number of Grosses, or Thousands, in the Weight 
 of any Article so counted. 
 
 By DAVID BOOTH. 
 
 In One V^olume 8vo., Price 6s. 
 
 LETTERS TO A YOUNG MASTER MARINER, 
 
 On some Subjects connected with his Calling. 
 
 By CHARLES LORIMER. . 
 
 “ This is so good, and so applicable to those within whose sphere it ought to 
 become a guide-star, that we think it our duly to notice it with commendation. 
 We advi.se the young merchant-mariner to purchase it, at the sacrifice even of some 
 of his hair-brain pleasures : he will never repent the bargain; and the chances will 
 be so greatly in his favour that he will think the few shillings expended some of the 
 best he ever laid out .” — Metropolitan (Capt. Marryat). 
 
 Second Edition with an Appendix. In 12mo. Price 5s. 6d. cloth. 
 
TRADE AND COMMERCE 
 
 13 
 
 CUSTOMS^ SURE GUIDE, 
 
 OR MERCHANT’S ASSISTANT. 
 
 Containing Tables and Calculations of Rates and Duties on all 
 Goods Imported to, or Exported from, the United Kingdom. 
 
 By JOHN BLACKSTON. 
 
 LANDING SURVEYOR OF HIS MAJESTY’S CUSTOMS. 
 
 In 12mo. Price 8s. cloth. 
 
 THE MEASURING COMPANION; 
 
 Embracing Systems of Measuring, for the Tonnage of Ships, and 
 Cubical Contents of Timber and Spars; with Diagrams, &c. Also 
 a Series of Tables, containing various Useful Calculations, particu- 
 larly interesting to the Mercantile World, and those engaged in 
 Shipping, &c. 
 
 By FRANCIS CHATFIELD. 
 
 ** Mr. Chatfield has here presented to us a publication which cannot fail to be ex- 
 tremely useful to every commercial man, but more especially to those at all connected 
 with shipping and ship-building .” — Public Ledger. 
 
 In Royal 8vo. Price 8s. boards. 
 
 Improbeti ®oal JWarfect tables, 
 
 For ascertaining the Value of any quantity of Coals at any Price. 
 Also Discount and Scorage Tables. By William Drabwell, Accountant. 
 In a Pocket Volume, in cloth boards. Price os. 
 
 GUMERSALL’S DISCOUNT TABLES. 
 
 TABLES OF DISCOUNT, OR SIMPLE INTEREST, 
 
 the several Rates of 5, 4i, 4, 3|, 3, and per Cent, 
 FROM 1 TO 365 DAYS, AND FROM £l TO £20,000; 
 
 ■So that the Interest or Discount on any Sum for any number of Days, 
 at any of the above Rates, may be obtained by the inspection of one 
 page only. Each Rate occupies eighty pages, the last five of which 
 are devoted to the same number of pounds from one to eleven months, 
 and from one to ten years. To which are added. Tables of Brokerage 
 err Commission. The whole a<?companied by a Time Table. Being 
 altogether a vast improvement on Thomson and others. 
 
 By T. B. GUMERSALL. 
 
 Third Edition, warranted free from error, in one large Vol. 8vo., 
 500 pp., Price only 10s. 6d. bound in cloth. 
 
 ’N. B. This work was originally published at £l. Is., and extensively patronised by 
 !the London Bankers ; but, solely in consequence of its having been stereotyped, thepub- 
 Sisher is enabled to reduce the price. 
 
14 
 
 TRADE AND COMMERCf.. 
 
 A FAMILIAR COMPENDIUM OF 
 
 THE LAW OF DEBTOR AND CREDITOR; 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 The whole of the Bankrupt Laws, with the Alterations and Amend- 
 ments recently enacted by the Legislature; the whole of the Consoli- 
 dated Laws, as now in operation, relating to Insolvent Debtors, 
 with Forms, &c. — Arrangements between Debtor and Creditor, in- 
 cluding Compositions and Deeds of Trust — the Law of Arrest on 
 Mesne Process — the Law relating to Property entrusted to Factors 
 or Agents — the recent Act, confirming the Statute of Limitations, 
 and regulating the Law concerning Representations of Character, &c. 
 — and Lord Brougham’s New Bankruptcy Court Act. 
 
 With the New Bankrupt Court Rules, the New Rules of the 
 Courts of Law, and a Copious Index. 
 
 By JOHN H. BRADY, 
 
 Author of ** Flam Instructions to Executors and Administrators,** J^c. 4<?. 
 
 Price 5s. 
 
 iSajSg idiotic of ohtaiuing ^agment of in tfje 
 
 THE DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE OF ATTACHMENT 
 IN THE MAYOR’S COURT, LONDON. 
 
 By henry ASHLEY, Gent. 
 
 0/ the Mayor's Court Office, Royal Exchange^ London. 
 
 Second Edition, in 8vo. Price 7s. 6d. 
 
 LAW OF STOCK JOBBING, 
 
 IN THE BRITISH AND FOREIGN FUNDS, 
 
 As contained in Sir John Barnard’s Act, and the Cases decided 
 thereon. Also an Answer to the Question, — Are Time Bargains in 
 the Foreign Funds illegal ? 
 
 By a solicitor. 
 
 Price Is. 
 
 TRADE OF THE BLACK SEA. 
 
 REPORT ON THE COMMERCE OF THE PORTS OF NEW 
 RUSSIA, MOLDAVIA, AND WALLACHIA, 
 
 Made to the Russian Government in 1835, in pursuance of an inves- 
 tigation undertaken by order of Count Woronzow. 
 
 By JULIUS de HAGEMEISTER. 
 
 Translated from the Original by T. F. Triebner. 
 
 One Vol. Po.A 8vo., Price 10s. 6d. 
 
 With a Skeleton Map of the relative situations of the Commercial 
 Depots. 
 
TRyVDE AND COMMERCE. 
 
 15 
 
 TO OFFICIAL ASSIGNEES, SOLICITORS, MANUFACTURERS, &c. 
 
 THE CALCULATOR’S SURE GUIDE; 
 
 Or, The most comprehensive Reckoner ever Published, apjylicable to all Business 
 Transactions. 
 
 In which may be found, by a single inspection, the amount of any 
 number of pounds, weight, yards, &c.,from 1 to 90,000, at any price 
 from a farthing to 19s. lid . ; also, Dividends on Bankrupts^ and In- 
 solvents’ Estates, expressly calculated for that purpose. 
 
 By william WALTON, Accountant. 
 
 In One large Vol. 8vo., 600 pp.. Price only 10s. 6d. bound in cloth. 
 
 PRACTICAL MERCANTILE CORRESPONDENCE, 
 
 A COLLECTION OF MODERN LETTERS OF BUSINESS, 
 With JSotes Critical and Explanatory, an Analytical Index, an Appendix, 
 and a Dictionary of Mercantile Technicalities, 
 
 Containing Formulas for Bills of Exchange, Invoices, Bills of Lading, 
 Account Sales, and an explanation of the German Chain Rule, as 
 applicable to the Calculation of Exchanges. 
 
 By WILLIAM ANDERSON. 
 
 ** This work consists of a series of three hundred letters on every subject that can 
 come before a mercantile man ; the style of them is simple, clear, concise, and 
 correct; it is accompanied with an analytical index, an explanation of mercantile 
 technicalities, with forms of all commercial documents and accounts, evidently the 
 result of practical experience ; it will form a most useful intermediate step between 
 the school and the counting-house, and for all young men intended for mercantile 
 life it will be indispensable; in fact, we have rarely seen so much useful commercial 
 matter in so small a compass ; we cordially recommend it, not only to merchants, 
 but also as an appropriate exercise book for the use of schools, and we venture 
 to suggest that every pupil destined for mercantile life should be required to copy 
 the book from beginning to end .” — Morning Chronicle. 
 
 In One Volume 12mo. Price 6s. 
 
 INFORMATION 
 
 ON M.\TTERS CONNECTED WITH TRANSACTIONS OF BUSINESS 
 IN THE 
 
 PUBLIC FUNDS, 
 
 Chiefly intended to facilitate Correspondence between Parties in the 
 Country and their London Agents. 
 
 By a BANKER’S CLERK. 
 
 Price 2s. 6d. 
 
16 
 
 lOR YOUTH AKI) SCHOOLS. 
 
 v@(y]TO /hm® §g[M]©©L§a 
 
 liECTIONES LATINiE, 
 
 Or, lessons IN LATIN LITERATURE: 
 
 Being a choice Collection of Amusing and Instructive Pieces, in 
 Prose and V^erse, selected from the Writings of the most celebrated 
 Latin Authors. 
 
 IN FOUR PARTS. 
 
 Part I. — An Interlinear, and Tree Translation. 
 
 Part II. — A Poetic Translation, and a Literal one with an Ordo. 
 Part III. — An Ordo, with a lAteral and Free Translation. 
 
 Part IV. — A Translation of the most difficult Words and Phrases, 
 
 Preceded by an Introductory Grammar, and interspersed with various 
 Grammatical Notes, and other Explanations. 
 
 adapted for schools and private students. 
 
 By J. ROWBOTHAM, F.R.A.S. London, 
 
 Author of German and French Lessons, a German and a French Grammar, Algebra 
 and Key, 8fC. 
 
 “ This is an exceedingly clever work, and contains the best rudimental Latin 
 Grammar we have seen, although it is modestly insinuated under another title. We 
 have no hesitation in saying an intelligent boy would learn more from this book in 
 a week, than he possibly could in quadruple the period from any other we have 
 seen.” — United Kingdom. 
 
 In Cue thick Vol. 12mo., Price 6s. 6d. neatly bound. 
 
 UTILITY or IiATm DISCUSSED. 
 
 For the Consideration of Parents, or those who have Influence in the 
 Choice or Direction of Juvenile Education. 
 
 By JUSTIN BREN AN, 
 
 Author of*' Composition and Punctuation,*' SfC. 
 
 In this little treatise, the important subject of classical utility is placed in an origi- 
 nal and highly inieresting point of view, and entirely free from the prejudices that 
 are usually brought in aid of such discussions. 
 
 “We are happy in having another opportunity of complimenting the author of 
 ' Composition and Punctuation,’ on a work which, unlike many of the present day, 
 contains multum in parvo, in which, in short, good sense and practical utility arc in 
 an immense ratio to its size and page.” — Edinburgh Literary Journal. 
 
 Price 2s. boards. 
 
FOR YOUTH AND SCHOOLS. 
 
 ir 
 
 A FRENCH GRAMMAR, 
 
 Divided into Four Parts. 
 
 The Pronunciation; the Accidence; the Syntax; and the Appendix. 
 By P. F. MERLET, 
 
 Professor of the French Language at the University of London* 
 
 ** All the rules we find arranged in this Grammar with the utmost simplicity and 
 perspicuity, none occupying more than two lines, and arranged in so convenient a 
 manner as to render references very easy. At the same time every rule is illustrated by 
 a number of plain practical sentences, such as are wanted in the common intercourse 
 of life, and are made familiar by exercises of a similar kind. The Tables of Declen- 
 sions and Conjugations are also admirably clear. It is almost impossible to represent 
 sound to the eye; yet the rules of Pronunciation laid down in this book are so sys- 
 tematic and precise, as to render them a great help to those who have had some oral 
 instruction. The Appendix, or a * Dictionary of Difficulties,’ which also sells sepa- 
 rately, will be found an excellent book of reference to the more advanced student, 
 more useful than French works of this kind, as it is evidently the work of a man who, 
 by long practice, has made himself fully acquainted with all those points in his lan- 
 guage which offer difficulties to the English learner.” — Monthly Review* 
 
 In One thick Vol. 12mo., Price 10s. boards, or 10s. 6d. bound. 
 
 New Editions of the separate Paris may be had at the following Prices : 
 
 Part I. — Treatise on Pronunciation. Price 2s. 6d. bound. 
 
 Part II. — The Accidence. Offering tabular views of all the Parts 
 of Speech in the French Language, with brief and simple Ex- 
 planations, Examples, and easy Exercises on each. Price 3s. bd. 
 
 Part III. — The Syntax. Containing the most necessary Rules, 
 clearly and concisely explained. Price 3s. 6d. bound. 
 
 N. B. These Three Parts form a complete Grammar, bound in one vol. price 8s. 
 
 Part IV. — The Appendix ; or Dictionary of Difficulties, Idioms, 
 Synonymes, &c. of the French Language. Price 3s. 6d. bound. 
 
 KEY TO THE EXCERCISES IN MERLET’S FRENCH 
 GRAMMAR. 
 
 12mo., Price 3s. 6d. bound. 
 
 s 2 
 
18 
 
 FOU YO»JTII AND S( FIOOT.s. 
 
 LE TRADUCTEUR ; 
 
 Or, historical, DRAMATIC, AND MISCELLANEOUS 
 SELECTIONS, 
 
 From the best French Writers, on apian calculated to render reading 
 and translation peculiarly serviceable in acquiring the Speaking and 
 Writing of the French Language; accompanied by Explanatory 
 Notes, a Selection of Idioms, and concise Tables of the Farts of 
 Speech, and of Verbs. 
 
 Bv P. F. MERLET. 
 
 In this Edition, the author has made every improvement in the selection of Pieces, 
 as well as the Explanatory Notes, (both of which have been considerably increased,) 
 which constant practice in teaching could suggest. 
 
 “ We pretend to judge somewhat more accurately of the quality of this work than 
 most of our neighbours ; and we have no hesitation in recording our opinion to be, 
 that it has deservedly reached a Second Edition, and that it ought to go through many 
 more. It is decidedly the best work of the kind with which we have yet met, and 
 ought to be in the hands of every one who is desirous of becoming acquainted with 
 the structure, the idioms, and the niceties, of the French language .*’ — Morning 
 Advertiser. 
 
 A judicious, instructive, and entertaining selection, free from every immoral or 
 irreligious thought or expression which the French language contains.” — Literarj/ 
 Panorama, 
 
 Second Edition, much improved. Price 5s. 6 d. handsomely bound. 
 
 PETIT TABLEAU LITTERAIRE DE LA FRANCE 5 
 Contenant un Essai sur la Litterature Franqaise ; 
 
 DEPUIS SON ORIGINE JUSQU’ EN 1832, 
 
 Et de nombreux extraits des meilleurs auteurs ; suivis de notes sur 
 quelques Difficultes. Servant de Suite au ‘‘Traducteur.’’ 
 
 Par P. F. MERLET. 
 
 ** The author has been careful to select such pieces only as are instructive and 
 entertaining, and may be placed, without reserve, in the hands of youth of both 
 sexes ; — to embrace every possible variety in word, phrase, or sentence ; and to afford 
 a ready exemplification of the rules of grammar, by appropriate remarks and nume- 
 rous notes on those peculiarities which form the most difficult parts of the French 
 language.” — Gentleman* s Magazine, 
 
 In a thick Volume, 12mo. Price 7s. 6d. handsomely bound. 
 
loa YOUTH A^D SCHOOLS. 
 
 19 
 
 SYNOPSIS OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE. 
 
 By P. F. MERLET. 
 
 To those who have already gone through the French Grammar, this little work 
 will be of infinite service, as it will enable them, at one view, to refresh their memory, 
 by means of Tables representing the verbs, and the most essential rules concisely 
 expressed, and each accompanied by an example so arranged as to make the whole 
 a Tabular View of French Grammar. 
 
 l2ino., Price 2s. 6d. bound in cloth. 
 
 Such is the confidence of the Publisher in the decided superiority of 
 the H^orks of Professor Merlet, which have already been adopted 
 at the University of London, and many of the most respectable Semi- 
 naries of Education, that he offers to the Heads of Schools and to 
 Teachers, who may become pi^rchasers of them, to return the money for any 
 of which they may not approve. 
 
 L’ ECHO BE PARIS : 
 
 A Selection of Familiar Phrases, which a Pupil would daily hear 
 said around him, if he were living among French People. 
 
 By Mons. a. P. LEPAGE, 
 
 PROFESSOR OF THE FRENCH LANOUAGE, LONDON. 
 
 ** Judiciously arranged in seventy-eight progressive lessons, we have here a little 
 volume, v/hich, while it spares the teacher much irksome labour, will pleasantly 
 facilitate the learner’s advance in the language .” — Court Journal. 
 
 Second Edition, augmented and improved, including a Vocabulary of 
 all the Idiomatical Phrases, &c. 
 
 In 12mo. Price 4s. 6d. bound in cloth. 
 
 FIRST STEP TO FRENCH; 
 
 INDISPENSABLE TO, AND IN HARMONY WITH, ALL FRENCH GRAMMARS .* 
 
 Being a collection of progressive familiar Conversations, in French 
 and English, showing a Parallel between the Pronunciation, Etymo- 
 logy, Accidence, and Idioms of the Parts of Speech, in both Lan- 
 guages, with Grammatical Observations, on a new Plan, compiled 
 from the most authentic Sources. 
 
 By F. M. D E C H E R V I L L E, 
 
 Teacher of the French Fayiguage in London. 
 
 We notice this little work from a conviction of its utility. It consists of a series 
 of connected examples, illustrating the various rules of grammar, and furnishes at 
 once a manual of philological instruction and entertainment. With this little book 
 (at the moderate price of 35.) and an ordinary grammar for reference, as to the 
 exceptions to the various rules, the student will be able to teach himself more of the 
 French language in one month, than can be acquired by any other method in quad- 
 ruple the time. Nor should we withhold our meed of praise so justly due to the 
 ingenious author, for giving this clever little volume to the world, thereby triumphing 
 over more technical objections and professional gain .” — Leeds Times. 
 
 Second Edition, in 12mo., Price 3s. bound in cloth. 
 
20 
 
 POR VOUTIi AND SCHOOLS. 
 
 23luc»eroat S^cfjool, 
 
 With a List of the Governors, corrected to April, 1835, (for which alone One 
 Guinea is charged at the School,) and the Mode of obtaining Presentation. 
 
 A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTAS HOSPITAL IN 
 LONDON, 
 
 FROM ITS FOUNDATION TO THE PRESENT TIME. 
 
 ** This entertaining little volume is the production of a grateful scholar of this 
 matchless and most extensively useful foundation, in which every species of informa> 
 tion that can reasonably be desired will be found.” — Gentleman's Mag. 
 
 Fifth Edition, in 12mo., Price 5s. boards, with several Engravings. 
 
 Sbltctcl)cs of Jiatural l^i'storg. 
 
 By MARY HOWITT. ^ 
 
 Embellished with Twenty-four beautiful Wood Engravings. 
 
 We used to think the Original Poems of the Miss Taylors, the perfection of the 
 union of the simple phrase of prose with the music of verse; but Mary IIowitt’s 
 Sketches excel them.” — Spectator. 
 
 Price 3s. 6d. bound in cloth, or 5s. neatly bound, with gilt edges. 
 
 PERILS IN THE WOODS, 
 
 OR, THE EMIGRANT FAMILY’S RETURN. A TALE. 
 
 By the Author of “ The Wanderings of Tom Starboard, ^c. 
 
 We have not, since the publication of Priscilla Wakefield’s ‘Juvenile Travellers,' 
 met with so delightful a child’s book as this ; the style is clear and familiar, and in 
 places, graphic, and even impassioned ; the "sentiments such as every parent would 
 wish his child to cherish.” — Sun. 
 
 In 12mo. with Engravings, Price 6s., neatly half-bound. 
 
 FAMILY CALENDAR OF FASTS AND FESTIVALS. 
 
 A FAMILIAR 
 
 ^nalgsts of 1^0 ©aknirar of tl)e of ^nglanb, 
 
 AND PERPETUAL GUIDE TO THE ALMANAC; 
 
 In the form of (Question and Answer: 
 
 Illustrated with a variety of Anecdotes, and Descriptive Sketches of 
 the Origin of Popular Customs at particular periods of the Year, and 
 authenticated by references to Scriptural and other Authorities. 
 
 By the rev. HUGH F. MART YND ALE, A.M. 
 
 This book is useful, as w'ell as amusing, and will form a very convenient object 
 of reference in families respecting topics of interest, which one time or other must 
 come under their consideration.” — Monthly Review. 
 
 Price 5s. neatly bound. 
 
FOR YOUTH AND SCHOOLS. 
 
 21 
 
 THE PHEMOMENA OF NATUHE 
 
 Familiarly Explained, 
 
 A Book for Parents and Instructors, and especially adapted to 
 Schools. 
 
 Translated from the German of WILHELM VON TURK. 
 
 ** Its object is to bring before the young pupil, in a familiar manner, the different 
 phenomena of nature. It presents a variety of subjects for the child’s consideration, 
 the knowledge of which is useful, and besides admirably calculated to draw out his 
 powers of observation.” — Journal of Education, No 1. 
 
 “ This is the best and most practical lesson-book on Nature, in the language. We 
 strongly recommend its introduction into schools, and all places of education, public 
 and private. We would have the w'ork made a school-room companion for three or 
 four years, between the ages of eight and twelve, and, in the course of that time, 
 mastered from end to end by the pupil.” — Spectator. 
 
 Price 4s. 6d. cloth. 
 
 HHYMES FOH YOUTHFUE HISTORIANS, 
 
 Designed to assist the Memory in Retaining the most Important Events 
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22 
 
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24 
 
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MISCELLANIES. 
 
 27 
 
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28 
 
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30 
 
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MI?^CELLA^’IES. 
 
 31 
 
 P AH AGE3L S V S, 
 
 A DRAMATIC POEM, 
 
 By ROBERT BROWNING, Esq. 
 
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 GOETHE AMD HIS CONTEMPOHAHIES 5 
 
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^2 
 
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MISCELLANIES. 
 
 33 
 
 MRS. siddo:ms, 
 
 HER LIFE, TIMES, AND CONTEMPORARIES. 
 
 By THOMAS CAMPBELL. ESQ., 
 
 To whom she bequeathed the necessary materials for the express 
 purpose. 
 
 ** Mrs. Siddons has found a fitting biographer in the poet Campbell. Simple, ele- 
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 senger. 
 
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 ** A Life of Mrs. Siddons, by Mr. Campbell the poet, cannot but strongly excite 
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 ** The impress of the immortal genius of the author is visible in every page of the 
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