第38章

society，carefulofitspleasuresandcomforts，livingwiththemoralideas

andasfaraspossibleinthemanneroftherich。TherivalryoftheMethodist

movementhadgivenacertainstimulustozeal，andtheVicarofCorsleyin

Wilts，(17*)forexample，addedasecondservicetothedutiesoftheSunday，

thoughguardinghimselfexpresslyagainsttheadmissionofanyobligation

tomakeitpermanent。Butitwasfoundimpossibletoeradicatefromthesystem

certainofthevicesthatbelongtoasocietywhichisprimarilyaclass。

Someofthebishopssetthemselvestoreducethepracticeofnon-residence。

Porteus，BishopofLondon，devotedagreatpartofhischargetohisclergy

in1790tothissubject，andthoughhepleadedpassionatelyforreformhe

cannotbesaidtohaveshuthiseyestothedifficultiesoftheclergy。’There

are，indeed，twoimpedimentstoconstantresidencewhichcannoteasilybe

surmounted；thefirstis(whatfortunatelyprevailsinsomepartsofthis

diocese)unwholesomenessofsituation；theotheristhepossessionofasecond

benefice。Yeteventhesewillnotjustifyatotalandperpetualabsencefrom

yourcures。Theunhealthinessofmanyplacesisoflateyearsbyvarious

improvementsgreatlyabated，andtherearenowfewsocircumstancedasnot

toadmitofresidencethereinsomepartoftheyearwithoutanydangerto

theconstitution。’ThusevenBishopPorteus，whointhisverychargereminded

theclergythattheywerecalledbythetitlesofstewards，watchmen，shepherds，

andlabourers，neverwentthelengthofthinkingthattheChurchwastobe

expectedtoministertothepoorinallweathersandinallclimates。

Theexertionsofthereformingbishopsdidnotachieveaconspicuoussuccess，

forthesecondofthedifficultiestouchedonbyPorteuswasinsurmountable。

InhisLegacytoParsons，Cobbett，quotingfromtheClericalGuide，showed

that332parsonssharedtherevenuesof1496parishes，and500moreshared

thoseof1524。AmongthepluralistswereLordWalsingham，whobesidesenjoying

apensionof£；700ayear，wasArchdeaconofSurrey，PrebendaryofWinchester，

RectorofCalbourne，RectorofFawley，perpetualCurateofExbury，andRector

ofMerton；theEarlofGuildford，RectorofOldAlresford，RectorofNew

Alresford，perpetualCurateofMedsted，RectorofSt。Mary，Southampton，

includingthegreatparishofSouthStoneham，MasterofSt。CrossHospital，

withtherevenueoftheparishofSt。Faithalongwithit。Therewerethree

Pretymansdividingfifteenbenefices，andWellington’sbrotherwasPrebendary

ofDurham，RectorofBishopwearmouth，RectorofChelsea，andRectorofTherfield。

Thismethodoftreatingtheparson’sprofessionasacomfortablecareerwas

socloselyentangledinthesystemofaristocracy，thatnoGovernmentwhich

representedthoseinterestswouldeverdreamoftouchingit。Parliamentintervened

indeed，butintervenedtoprotectthosewholivedontheseabuses。Forbefore

1801therewereActsofParliamentontheStatuteBook(21HenryVIII。c。

13，and13Elizabethc。20)，whichprovidedcertainpenaltiesfornon-residence。

In1799acertainMr。Williamslaidinformationsagainsthundredsofthe

clergyforoffencesagainsttheseActs。Parliamentrepliedbypassingaseries

ofActstostayproceedings，andfinallyin1803SirWilliamScott，member

fortheUniversityofOxford，passedanActwhichallowedthebishopsto

authoriseparsonstoresideoutoftheirparishes。Itisnotsurprisingto

findthatin1812，outoftenthousandincumbents，nearlysixthousandwere

non-resident。

Intheparisheswheretheincumbentwasnon-resident，iftherewasaclergyman

atallintheplace，itwasgenerallyacurateonamiserablepittance。Bishop

Porteus，inthechargealreadymentioned，givessomeinterestinginformation

aboutthesalariesofcurates：’Itisalsohighlytothehonourofthisdiocese

thatingeneralthestipendsallowedtothecuratesaremoreliberalthan

inmanyotherpartsofthekingdom。InseveralinstancesIfindthatthe

stipendforonechurchonly

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