chanter and vicars-choral, have the patronage of fourteen benefices. The Dean and Chapter of Llandaff have the patronage of the senior and junior vicarschoralships of the cathedral, and twenty benefices. The Archdeacon of Brecon is patron of four benefices, and the Archdeacon of Llandaff, four; the Provost and Fellows of Eton College, three; Jesus College, Oxford, eight; Christ's College, Cambridge, one; St. John's College, one; the Dean and Chapter of Gloucester, seven; the Dean and Chapter of Bristol, three; the Bishop of Lincoln, one; the Bishop of Chester, two; the Bishop of Lichfield, one; and the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, three.

Thus, it seems that the patronage of considerably more than 400 benefices is in the hands of bishops and ecclesiastical corporations. It would not have been too much to expect that this should have been well managed, and so disposed of as to promote the welfare of the Establishment. Such, unhappily, has not been the case, as all enlightened Churchmen now begin to acknowledge. So far as the moral efficiency of the Church is concerned, and by that phrase we mean no more than its bare success in retaining the population, it may be confidently stated that the poorest diocese has been the most fortunate in this respect. Taken as a whole, we believe the Establishment is better attended in the diocese of St. David's than in any other see in the Principality.

In pecuniary affairs, the diocese of St. Asaph is far superior to any in Wales, and a churchman no less zealous than Sir Thomas Philips, does not hesitate to say, "that it might be selected from all the dioceses of the kingdom as that which afforded the most complete ecclesiastical provision for promoting the interests of religion and the fairest stage on which the advantages of the episcopal system of the Church might have been displayed." The average yearly nett income of the see for the three years ending December 1831, was 6,3017., and had been more, the archdeaconry of St. Asaph and the rectory of Pennant, in the county of Montgomery, being usually held by the bishops in commendam. The deanery is of the nett annual value of 1,1857., and the

joint estates of the chapter and prebendaries have been commuted for rent-charges, amounting to 9,7357. 2s. 9d. In the returns made in 1835, the benefices within the see, including several sinecure rectories, were said to be 143, and the average nett income of each 2717., a sum which is nearly equal to the average of England; whilst there were only twenty-nine parishes without glebe-houses. The bishop having in his hands the appointment to the deanery, to all the canonries, and to nearly all the benefices, can in almost every instance appoint the person best suited to promote the interests of the Church.

Sir Thomas further adds, "that not the poverty of the livings, nor the size of the parishes, nor the abuse of lay patronage, nor the want of means in the bishop to reward deserving merit, nor a rapid increase of population, except in a few special instances, can be assigned as causes for the extensive prevalence of Dissent, and the want of attachment to the Church." What, then, has been the bane of the Church in this fair and goodly portion of her heritage ? According to Sir Thomas Philips, "probably no cause has been so powerful, nor has any practice occasioned so much dissatisfaction amongst both clergy and laity, as the distribution among the relations and connexions of several former bishops of that see, of a very large amount of the best preferment entrusted to those prelates for the reward of the hard-working clergy of the diocese; many of whom have seen the stations of distinction and profit in the see conferred on strangers to the country, not seldom ignorant of the language of the people, and unable to minister to them in sacred things in their own tongue." We are not concerned with the accuracy of the opinion held by Sir Thomas; all we want to show is, that under the most favourable circumstances, the alienation of the people from the Establishment has been entire and unmistakeable, and that not owing to ecclesiastical poverty. But, come from what source it may, it is a fact.

We believe that the character of the clergy, more than their language, has been the virtual cause of the great separation in Wales. Doubtless, it was aided by

collateral circumstances: such as the introduction of strangers, and the ill-distribution of places of worship to meet the wants of the population. Take the county of Merioneth, for instance. A larger amount of tithes goes into the hands of its clergy than into those of any other county, and the English language can hardly be said to have been introduced within its boundaries. Yet the wealth of the clergy and the absence of English encroachments have failed to preserve the population within the pale of the Church. There is no county more thoroughly Dissenting in Wales. The truth is, that the mass of the people were attached to the Church at the introduction of Dissent, as the severe persecutions suffered by Dissenting ministers abundantly proves. Nevertheless, it is highly probable that the foreign patronage, if it may be so called, has rendered the clergy, as a body, very inefficient. Having chosen their profession as ministers of an institution which has loaves and fishes at its disposal, it certainly would present no new phase of human nature, if they felt dissatisfied at seeing the "bread of the children" given to the retainers of the episcopal palace. The following illustrations will suffice to show to what an extent this system has been acted upon.

The son of Bishop Warren, of Bangor, enjoyed the deanery of that diocese, the rectory of Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog, value 4007.; of Cyffin, value 6007.; and was also Chancellor of the diocese for which he received 3007. per annum. Another relative of the bishop held the Llanfair prebend, of the annual value of 6007. The Rev. H. Majendie, son of Bishop Majendie, holds the Penmynydd prebend, value 5507. The rev. gentleman is also a prebendary at Salisbury, and vicar of Speen, in Berkshire, the annual value of which is 3207. Another son of the same bishop held, some years ago, the rectory of Llanrhuddlad, of the value of 5607. The Rev. John Warren is now chancellor of the diocese. The Dean of Bangor was connected with Bishop Majendie, through whom he was introduced into the diocese. He is also rural dean, and rector of Llanfi hangel Ysgeifiog and Llanllechyd. The value of the latter benefice is 4717. It is due, however, to Dean

Cotton to say, that he has done no small service to the church, and that he has made a fair and formidable attempt to master the difficulties of the Welsh language, in which he has succeeded to a great extent.

In the diocese of St. Asaph, the bishops, Shipley and Luxmoore, leased several manors and lands on very advantageous terms to their own relatives. Mrs. Shipley was lessee of one half of St. Martin's manor. Two relatives of Bishop Bagot drew 1,1007. annually from the see for many years. One of them has held the rectory of Llanllwchhairan, value, according to the Clergy List, of 3551., or, according to Mr. Johnes, a near neighbour, of 4007., for the last fifty years. The Rev. J. F. Cleaver, son of Bishop Cleaver, is canon of St. Asaph, sinecure rector of Corwen (3737.), and vicar of Great Coxwell, Berkshire (2117.), with a glebe house. The Rev. W. Cleaver was at one time precentor of St. Asaph, rector of Llangernyw, St. George's, St. Asaph, Dinmeirchion, and held also the sinecure rectory of Llanfawr. He is now sinecure rector of Llanfawr (2007.), and the incumbent of Trinity Church, Cranbrook, in the county of Kent.

The

The relatives and connexions of Bishop Horseley were not left in want of the good things of this world. late Dean Horseley held the parish of Gresford (value 4507.), during the long period of forty-five years, in the course of which he left its care to a curate, who, for nearly thirty years he paid at the rate of 307. per annum.* Dean Horseley resided at Edinburgh, and distinguished himself by holding, through a long life, in addition to Gresford, the vicarage of Castell Caereinion (6007.); and Llanfairtalhaiarn prebend (2207.). He was entirely unacquainted with the Welsh language, and seldom, if ever visited his preferments. The Rev. G. Robson, canon of St. Asaph, rector of Erbistock, has for forty-five years enjoyed an annual income of about 1,000l., by virtue of his connexion with Bishop Horseley; the late Mr. Neve, of the same family, was vicar of Llansantffraid, value 2507., and held preferments in other dioceses. The connexions of Bishop

*This valuable benefice is now held by a brother-in-law to the present Bishop of St. Asaph.

Horsely at one time received from the diocese of St. Asaph upwards of 2,6007. per annum.

*

The average annual value of the diocese in the time of Bishop Luxmoore was £9,000. In 1834, his son, the Rev. C. S. Luxmoore, was dean and chancellor, and Vicar or Rector of Hegllan (1,5007.); St. Asaph (4267.); Llannefydd (3007.); Llanfairtalhaiarn (2201.); and Darowain (1207.). Besides the foregoing, he enjoyed at least 6007. in the diocese, as lessee under certain leases, granted to him by his father, of tithes and manors belonging to the see. To the same patron,

he owed the rectory of Cradley, a portion of Bromyard, and a prebend at Hereford, all in the diocese of Hereford. Mr. Johnes estimated his church preferments at 6,3561. per annum. At present, though somewhat "shorn of his beams," he is Dean of St. Asaph, Chancellor, Prebendary of Hereford, sinecure rector of Bromyard (second portion), sinecure rector of Darowen, and rector of Cradley. At the same time, his brother, the Rev. J. M. Luxmoore, was rector of Marchwiail (7207.); Llanarmon yn Ial (5007.), Prebend of Meifod, in St. George's parish, 607., Morton Chapelry 8007., from land purchased with Queen Anne's bounty, and Whitford (1,0007.). The tithes of the latter parish, however, were then on lease. He also received 2007. as Joint

The

Registrar of Hereford. At present he is canon of St. Asaph, sinecure rector of Llanarmon yn Ial and Whitford, rector of Marchwiail, perpetual curate of Morton, near Oswestry, and sole registrar of Hereford. Rev. C. T. Luxmoore is vicar of Guildsfield (3607.); the Rev. J. Luxmoore is vicar of Berriew and Llanymynech, two parishes, the nett income of which is stated in the Clergy List for 1850, to be nearly 8007., and by Mr. Johnes at 9007. At the time Mr. Johnes Luxmoore family cost the

wrote, he calculated that the church in the diocese of St. Asaph and Hereford, no less than ten thousand pounds a year, and to this statement he adds:- "In the time of the late Bishop

Luxmoore the case stood thus:-such was the prosperity of the times, that the revenues of the see of St.

*Johnes on the Causes of Dissent, p. 218.