The Pluralist, John Scott, (probably from Scotland) has a sinecure, as Dean, (see pages 244 & 250) of the tithes of 7,215 acres, worth £12,000 to rent, and 498 acres of glebe, worth £800. He has two rectories in Leighlin and Ferns, with the tithes of 13,800 acres, worth to rent, £20,000 per annum. The Catholics, in 1792, in Waterford, were 108,625; Protestants, 1375. In 1766, the Catholic families were 16,519; Protestants, 2,879. The Catholics during that interval, therefore, increased from 6 to 1 to 80 to 1. In the county of Waterford alone, according to Wakefield's calculation, the tithes of land worth £394,200 per year, is appropriated to administer religious rites to 1375 persons out of 108,625. GENERAL REMARKS. It will be expected, that some reason should be assigned for all the deficiencies in the Diocesan Returns. It appears, then, that Parliament directed the four following Queries, amongst others, to be answered by each Bishop: viz. 1. What is the number, and what are the denominations, of the Benefices in your Diocese? 2. How many Parishes are comprehended in each Benefice, and what are the denominations? 3. Are the Parishes contiguous to, or how far distant from each other? 4. What is the estimated extent of such as are contiguous? Now, with the exception of the Bishop of Elphin, who has returned all the quantities, but no denominations; all the Bishops have construed these Queries, as requiring only the quantities where more Parishes than one constitute the Benefice. Hence they have not returned any quantities, where the Benefice consists of one Parish. It remains, therefore, for Parliament to direct all these Returns to be completed, which may be done in a month; and we shall then have correct data to form our calculations upon, as in the case of Elphiu. It is due also to the Bishops to say, that they unreservedly profess their regret at not having it in their power to dissolve some of the very shameful Sinecures attached to mere titles, where incomes of many thousands a year are enjoyed, without the vestige of a church, or the cure of a single soul: but the statute of the 21 Geo. II. ch. 8. prohibits the alteration of these dignities, without the substitution of an equivalent income. What the future Historian may hereafter record upon the subject, is matter of conjecture. The present finds ample justification for the French Revolution, in the rapacity of their Clergy and Noblesse; although it never entered the imagination of any Priesthood, but Irish Protestants, to claim one tenth of the produce of a kingdom containing six millions of inhabitants, for the families of a thousand Ecclesiastics, or, in other words, the provision necessary for the support of SIX THOUSAND PERSONS for the family of every SINGLE PARSON!!! THE END. Printed by R. Macdonald, 30, Great Sutton Street, Clerkenwell. |