The Sun.
London, England, 1840-03-05 00:00:00

ECCLESIASTICAL PROCEEDINGS

DARI:XSTON.
Our readers may perhaps recollect that Mr. Hum-
page, Churchwarden of Darlaston, was lugged into the
Ecclesiastical Court by the worthy and pious Rector of
that parish, who, because the rate-payers refused a
Church-rate, covered the communion-table with black
cloth, refused for six months to administer the Sacra-
ment, stopped the Church clock, and prevented, or tried
to prevent, the Church bells from being rung. To the
last of these proceedings the Churchwarden demurred,
and took upon himself the responsibility of causing the
bell-ringers of Darlaston to amuse the parishioners with
an occasional merry peal, by way of " practising." This
grave cffence it was that provoked the " man of God"
to pour out the vials of his wrath upon the peccant
Churchwarden's head. How he came off will appear
from the following statement, which we copy from the
Staffordshire Examiner :
HUMP AGE VICTORIOUS !

Mr. Humpage's soul-preserving case was heard, as
appointed, on Wednesday, before Mr. Chancellor Law.
The Surrogate read over the minutes of the proceed-
ings of the Court, the articles, and the depositions of
Mr. Kyle's witness.

Mr. HusreAGE and Mr. KYLE having been heard,
The CHANCELLOR delivered judgment. From the
88th canon of the Church, he considered that the law
looked to the churchwardens to suffer, or not to suffer,
the hells to be rung, and that they must not allow them
to be rung except on good cause ; but the wardens could
not ring them if the minister refused his consent.
Nevertheless, if the minister refused his sanction to cus-
tomary and decent ringing, he would render himself
liable to be cited into this Court by any one who felt
aggrieved by such refusal. Practising must certainly be
considered decent and necessary ringing, for without it
the bells could not be properly rune at times for which
their " ordinary use is ordained." 'lia articles had not
been proved by the evidence adduced on the part of the
plaintiff, and he therefore absolved Ephraim Humpage,
the defendant, from all pains and penalties. With re-
spect to the minister's freehold of the church, it was not
like the freehold of a house. The minister was merely
a trustee for the parish, and should preserve it for parish
purposes. The churchwardens were officers tinder the
bishop, and had an equal right over the freehold of the
church with the minister.

The decision seemed to give the greatest satisfaction
to all the Court.

THE MARKETS-(THIS DAY.)

HUNGERFORD.

Fair supplies, and a good demand ; prices steady. Beef
70. to Bid. Mutton 70. to 80. Veal Bd. to 9d. Pork
7,1-d. to tic'. per lb. Turbot 7s. to 21s. Cod 4s. to 12s.
Soles 10d. to ss. per pair. Lobsters 2s. to ss.
BILLINGSGATE MARKET.

Supplies good, and prices steady ; trade very brisk. Turbot
ss. to 21s. ; 3s. to 12s. ; Soles, 9d. to ss. per pair ;
Lobsters. 2s. to ss. ; Oysters, 245. to 60s. per bushel ;
;Mackerel, 4d. to lOd. ; haddocks, Bd. to Is. 6d. ; and Whit-
ings, 4d. to 10d.
HAY MARKETS.

Supplies short, demand good, and prices higher. Hay, 61s.
to SSs. ; Clover, 90s. to 120 s. ; Straw, 348. to 445. per load.

TALLOW .MARKET.

P. Y. C. very quiet at 51s. per cwt.
COLONIAL MARKET.
Very little done, either by public sale or private contract,
and prices steady. 150 bags Manilla Sugar were put up, the
sale heavy, and prices a little lower. The chief sales were of
Drugs.
TEA MARKET.

Nothing done except for money, which is very heavy. Needy
holders were the only parties selling ; the bulk of the trade did
nothing whatever.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING-(THIS DAY.)

PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 4. —Wind E. S. E., fresh breeze.
—Arrived the Clutha, Scott, from Havannah.
PLYMOUTH, MARCH 4.—Wind E. N.E., fresh breeze,—
Sailed the Waterwitch, Huguet, for St. Michael.
LIVERPOOL, :MARCH 4.-IVind E , fresh breeze.—Ar-
rived tne South America, Bayley, from New York ;
and Marmora, Myers, New Orleans. Sailed the Colum-
bia, Blaney, for St. Vincent ; Elizabeth Wood, Barba-
does ; Idris, Leggatt, Portola ; and Universe, Berbice.
Conic, MARCH 2.—Arrived the William Salthou-,e.
Staunton, from Porto Rico ; Ralph Wylant, McKenzie,
Odessa; and Cottager, Smith, do. A Portuguese schoo-
ner, from Liverpool, was lost on the Bayonne Islands
about the 6th ult., as reported by the George and Henry,
arrived bere from Oporto.
DUNGENESS, MARCH 2.—Off port the Ann, from Rio
Janeiro

SHEERNESS, MARCH 4.—A loaded brig is on the Noro
Sand.
YARMOUTH, MARCH 4.—Two head boards, painted black,
on which is cut Mary Ann, with some other wreck, has
been washed on shore near Garbestown..

ALDBOItOI,OII,., MARCH 4. A large collier has just gone
down off the harbour in eight fathoms water; crew saved.
SountwoLo, Marten 4.—Several small pieces of wreck
have been washed into the harbour to-day, marked 't W.
Archbold, Newcastle."

CHARLES KENIBLE.-Last week a vase was
presented to Charles Kemble. The ceremony took place
on the stage of Covent-garden Thea,re, in the presence
of his Grace the Duke of Beaufort and a large body of the
suloscribers.