The Sun.
London, England, 1822-08-23 00:00:00

TITHE MEETING.

Yesterday a meeting of the Freeholders, Lease-
holders, and other owners of property within the London li-
berty of St. Andrew's, Holborn, was held in the church, for
the purpose of considering. the propriety. of co-operating with
the inhabitants in general in defending a suit instituted by the
Rev. Gilbert Beresford, the Rector, in the Court of Exchequer,
for the recovery cf a tithe of two and ninepence in the pound,
on the rack rental of the inhabitants. The meeting was nume-
rously and respectably attended. WILLIAM BOYER, Esq.,
Churchwarden, was unanimously called to the chair.
Mr. SAUNDERS, the solicitor for the parish, at the desire of
the Chairman, read a resolution of the inhabitants of the Lon-
don liberty of the parish, requiring the Tithe Committee to call
for the signatures of householders, freeholders, and other per-
sons possessing property within the liberty, to a declaration foe
defending the suit instituted by the Rector.
The CHAIRMAN, on the above resolution being read, shortly
stated the object of the meeting. The inhabitants, he said, had
amply discussed the claim made by the Rector, and after giving
the subject the fullest consideration, had determined to defend
themselves against it : and the present meeting was called to
give the freeholders, and other non-resident persons who were
interested in resisting the claim, an opportunity of understand-
ing the question, and contributing to the defence of their pro-
perty.
Mr. JossN BErcnAm said, the freeholders were highly
interested in the event, as, if the claim set up by the Rector
were established, it would amount to a seizure of one seventh
part of their property on the expiration of the present leases.—
By the act of the 21st of Henry the Eighth, the payment
of the Clergy was regulated, and it was expressly stated
that the money was given for their support, for the main-
tenance of the poor, and for the repair of the churches. In
the 37th year of the same King, another act was passed,
under which the present claim of two shillings and nine
pence in the pound was made ; but it had been ascertained that
1 the law had not been acted on,. and that five years after a new
law was made for giving the clergy 2s. in the pound for the
like purposes. In the whole of Elizabeth's reign there was no
mention of the act of the 37th of Henry VIII. Had it been
considered operative wnen, in the 41st year of her reign, the act
was passed for providing for the poor, there could be no doubt
that had the clergy then been in possession of an income of2s.
9d. in the pound, out of which they were to provide for the
poor, some part of it. would have been taken for that purpose.
In the reign of Charles I. a single clergyman made a claim of
2s. 9d. under the act of the :Itti of Henry VIII., and found a
jury who gave him a verdict, emit this was the only case in fa-
vour of the claim of the rector. After the great fire in the reign
of Charles 11., that Monarch granted to the clergy of the 52
parishes that were burnt 4001. a year each in lieu of every claim,
without any mention of their having any right to 2s. 9d. in the
pound—a strong proof that no such right existed, The city
of London went to Parliament in the year 1817, with a bill to
-rive the clergy a fixed rate, such as Parliament might think
tit, and save the parishes from the danger of any revival of a
claim of 2s. 9d. in the pound, but Dr, Phillimore opposed the
bill, and so little interest did it then excite among the members,
that it was supported by no more than 32, and was lost on the
second reading. The act of the 37th of Henry VIII. appointed
Commissioners to decide what should be the rate on the rental
by which the clergy should be paid, and enacted that their de-
cree to that effect should be enrolled in Chancery by March 1,
following ; bnt the decree which they made, and under which
the rector now claims, was never enrolled in Chancery at all,
but was given by them, on the 25th of February, to Bishop
Bonner, to be kept in his registry for ever, and there only it
is now to be found. There it has ever remained as a dead
letter, except in the single instance in the reign of Charles I.
In a publication of the statutes, now making under the autho-
rity of Parliament, there is a note on the act of Henry the Bth,
stating that the decree which the commissioners were authorized
to make Was not found in the earliest copies of the statutes ; nor
was it enrolled in Chancery. If the city of London will once
more go to Parliament to have the question set at rest, all the
parishes will assist, and there can be no doubt of the result.
He was confident the spirit of the inhabitants would never relax,
and that by union and perseverance in a good cause, they would
finally triumph. Mr. Beecham concluded by moving a resolu-
tion, expressing the approbation of the meeting of the exertions
made by the inhabitants in resisting the claim of the Rector,
which was carried unanimously.
Mr. .lasraß TAYLOR moved the second resolution—that
the freeholders and other owners of property felt themselves
bound to assist the inhabitants, which was also carried un-
animously.
Mr. RICHARD TAYLOR moved a vote of censure on the
Rector, for endeavouring to set aside the existing mode of pay-
ment, for the purpose of exacting an exorbitant income. He
said the Rector's present income amounted to 1,400/. a year,
besides a good house. It was true he paid curates out of it,
but that was for his own ease, and to enable him to live in the
country, where he had one or more valuable church livings also.
The parish showed every willingness to enter into negociation
with him on any fair claim he might make for an advance, but
he preferred going to law. It was known that in three parishes
of which he had the tithes he had taken steps to increase their
amount; his pretence was, that he wanted an increased income
to enable him to defend the church against unbelievers. The
Bishop also seemed anxious to screw up the livings of the
clergy as high as possible, while it appeared from a recent pub-
lication, that the clergy of the Church of England received more
wealth than all the other clergy in the world.
Mr. SorTIIGATE seconded the motion, which was carried
unanimously.
Mr. NASH exhorted the inhabitants to persevere both for
their own sakes and that of others, as there appeared to be a
spirit abroad amongst the clergy which made them consider a
disinterested Christian pastor as an enemy. In the parish in
which he lived, St. Botolph, Bishopsgate. there was an excel-
lent clergyman, who had been rector for 35 years; his income
was about 5001. a year. At a meeting of the clergymen of the
diocese, he was told he must raise his income: he must get a
shilling in the pound on the rental. The good Hector expostu-
lated, said he did not wish for any increase of income, but all
in vain ; he was told his conduct was injurious to the church
and he must reform it. The Rector finding it useless to con-
tend against such pious opponents, called a meeting of his pa-
rishioners, and with much concern told them he must leave
them—he must resign. They begged to know the cause, when
he reluctantly informed them. They declared they would not
lose him, but would pay a shilling in the pound : he begged
they would not take it from any who could not well atfura to
pay it. The shilling in the pound was paid by those who could
afford it, and it amounted to 1,2001. a year. The good Rector
soon after died, and his successor demanded is. 6d. in the
pound, which, under his collection, amounts to near 3,000/. a
year, and he declares that if the Reverend Mr. Gilbert
Beresford succeeds in his suit, he must have 2s. ed. in the
pound.
Mr. FEARON addressed the meeting at considerable
He said Parliament were disposed to make some relaxation of
taxation, but the Clergy appeared determined to prevent its
beneficial effects. Their cry was, that the Church was in dan-
ger from freethinkers and radicals, but the real dancer was
from the rapacity of the Clergy. In the year 1634, the London
Clergy addressed Charles the First, complaining of the small-
ness of their livings, many of which they said ..id not amount
to more than 401. a year—a proof that they did net consider
they had any claim to 2s. 9d. in the pound, or they would have
enforced it. At the time it was said that the 2s. 9d. in the
pound was granted, the Clergy were bound to repair the
church, and supper the poor; if they will do so now, ',Le pa-
rishioners will not object to the payment.
Mr. COMPEIONY moved that a subscription should ee in:-
rnediately entered into by the freeholders and other owners of
property in the parish, to unite with the inhabitants in defecd-
ing the suit.
The motion was carried by acclamation.
Thanks were voted to the Chairman, after which the fleet:frig
separated.

CAMBRIDGE, AUGUST 2,2.—At a v-and.coin-
mon day of this Corporation on Friday last, John inqle, Esq.
was elected Mayor of this town for the year ensaing.—Messrs.
.Tames Salmon, Thomas Willimott, John Haslop, and 'Thomas
Woodward, were elected Bailiffs ; and Mr. A. Chevell
Mr. James Brown were re-elected Coroners.

Mr. GREEN, it will be remembered, was nearly
killed by an accident in his descent, after as-
cending from Cheltenham last month, and h:s
balloon escaped through the netting. Mr.G:,.F.EN
offered a reward of 51., and to pay all reasonable
expences, for the restoration of the balloon. It
fell in a field a short distance from Northamp-
ton, and, to the disgrace of true British fee;:ng,
the person will not restore it to the unfortunate
aeronaut without making a property of the acci-
dent. fie demands 401. aEd expences ! The
Committee at Cheltenham have expressed their
indignation at such conduct, and intend taking
steps immediately to obtain possession of the
balloon.