In many country places, where there was neither church or convent, a prebendary was resident on his freehold, granted to him from the ancient endowment for the purposes of Christian instruction, and of local charity.* As none of these prebendaries are now resident on their prebendal freehold, and as there is now a parish church, and parish priest, you might say, "Here is found what "will exactly suit our purpose. After the "death of the individuals who hold them, " the prebends may be applied-since we have "poor-rates-to increase the incomes of the "humbler vicars, or build parsonage-houses, "when wanted."

But, my Lord, all the prebendal estates, like those belonging to the residentiaries, are on lease for years or lives, and instead of the prebendaries having, as represented, often fifteen hundred a year, some have not more than five pounds a year, some twenty, some thirty, and some, from accidental circumstances, two or three hundred.

This is the plain matter of fact as to the prebendaries in Salisbury cathedral, and I suppose nearly so elsewhere; and as no services can be now pleaded, it is for your Lordship to consider whether, if any change in the ancient endowments can with justice be made, you might not plant your foot on these “sinecures.”

Of this, however, I am certain the Founders, and they whose pious munificence endowed these ancient foundations, and raised these "high altars of public praise," were better informed, than, I think, they are who— the "more spiritual and scriptural they may be"-applaud the more "the extent" to which your Plan is carried!

According to the Plan before us-the residentiaries are to be dismissed-their freeholds, which all the tyrants in the kingdom, except the covenanting saints and Cromwell, sparedto be diverted. The dean, with a new and more "scriptural* name," to superintend the whole duty of the cathedral, having two assistants, he and they to be NINE MONTHS resident, attending the cathedral service as at present, I supposetwice every day, without intermission! He for

* The name of " Dean" is, at least, as scriptural as Synod, to which the pious " suggesters" have no objection !

his nine months to have from a thousand to twelve hundred a year stipend, and they two hundred each! And this is the spirit of your Lordship's deeply considered plan of Cathedral Reform!-of "robbing Peter to pay Paul." The stipendiary dean, with a more spiritual appellation, and his two ecclesiastical aides-decamp, to be paid out of a "commissioner's" bag, and all the present establishments to be as the "haseless fabric of a vision!"

I contend for no abuses: but let us calmly compare the original intention of the pious founders. According to the statutes of most cathedrals in England, there is an endowment in land, to keep up the fabric-to support the bishop, dean, prebendaries or canons, superintending, twice daily, the cathedral services-to maintain the clerical readers, singing men, and quoristers and to educate, clothe, and apprentice the last.

The form of cathedral service has been the same from the time of the Reformation to this day. The mass, and all rites deemed superstitious, have been abolished; the Bible is open ; the most ancient decent habits are retained, which were used long before Popery; the

C

:

66

praises of God, in the Psalms, are chanted-as by their inspired author they were sung," and not said; and the anthems sung are from the sublime and affecting words of the same divine author, not mere metrical travesties! Such has been the service in our cathedral since Bishop Jewel-save only at that period spoken of, when all chapter lands were sold, and the quoirs silent. The venerable Establishment has survived that fanatic storm, and we might say

" Merses profundo pulcrior evenit."

So stands our Sion, graceful, venerable, beautiful, and majestic, in the open light of Heaven, through the sunshine or storm of centuries, appealing to the OPEN BIBLE and the most ancient and primitive Liturgies, for the simplicity, and yet impressiveness, of her public worship. So stands our beautiful cathedral, resounding daily with its sublime, not " cold " and formal," services, as it has done for upwards of six hundred years.

The canons being elected by their own body, were anciently called to residence from their country prebends, where they did the office of rural rectors, for the nine months in which they were not resident in the cathedral city.

At present, after the stated residence, and strict superintendance of the service, kept up from century to century daily, morning and evening-after three months' residence, and this constant attendance on the cathedral services, they return for the next nine months, not to their prebendal residence, as anciently, but to their country parishes.

Can any one doubt the wisdom of this interchange of duties? Can any one, giving the subject the least attention, or putting himself in the place of a canonical resident, doubt, that by such an interchange, there is an advantage both to the duties of the cathedral church and in country parishes.

Attached as I am to the sublime and devotional services of the quoir, and not thinking them either "cold" or "formal," yet, with what a silent joy have I returned from the smoke of a city, and heard the bells ringing, and seen the looks of young and old, welcoming me, in the spring, to a country parish, where I have lived now twenty-eight long years!

In most of my writings I have interspersed, here and there, if it were only for relief, some

c2