different parts; for, in the north, by the Scotch settle ment, their numbers daily increasing by new additions from their own country, and their prolific quality peculiar to northern people; and lastly, by their universal feeding upon oats (which grain, under its several preparations and denominations, is the only natural luxury of that hardy people) the value of tithes increased so pro digiously, that at this day, I confess, several united parishes ought to be divided, taking in so great a compass, that it is almost impossible for the people to travel timely to their own parish church, or their little churches to contain half their number, though the revenue would be sufficient to maintain two, or perhaps three worthy clergymen with decency; provided the times mend, or that they were honestly dealt with, which I confess is seldom the case. I shall name only one, and it is the deanery of Derry; the revenue whereof, if the dean could get his dues, exceeding that of some bishoprics, both by the compass and fertility of the soil, the number as well as industry of the inhabitants, the conveniency of exporting their corn to Dublin and foreign parts; and, lastly, by the accidental discovery of marl in many places of the several parishes. Yet all this revenue is wholly founded upon corn, for I am told there is hardly an acre of glebe for the dean to plant and build on.

I am therefore of opinion, that a real unfalcated revenue of six hundred pounds a year, is a sufficient income for a country dean in this kingdom; and since the rents consist wholly of tithes, two parishes, to the amount of that value, should be united, and the dean reside as minister in that of Down, and the remaining parishes be divided among worthy clergymen, to about 300l. a year to each. The deanery of Derry, which is a large city, might be left worth 8007. a year, and Rapho, according as it shall be thought proper. These three are the only

opulent deaneries in the whole kingdom, and, as I am informed, consist all of tithes, which was an unhappy expedient in the church, occasioned by the sacrilegious robberies during the several times of confusion and war; insomuch that at this day there is hardly any remainder left of dean and chapter lands in Ireland, that delicious morsel swallowed so greedily in England, under the fanatic usurpations.

As to the present scheme of a bill for obliging the clergy to residence, now or lately in the privy council, I know no more of the particulars than what has been told me by several clergymen of distinction; who say, that a petition in the name of them all has been presented to the lord lieutenant and council, that they might be heard by their council against the bill, and that the petition *was rejected, with some reasons why it was rejected; for the bishops are supposed to know best what is proper for the clergy. It seems the bill consists of two parts: first, a power in the bishops, with consent of the archbishop, and the patron, to take off from any parish whatever it is worth, above 300l. a year; and this to be done without the incumbent's consent, which before was necessary in all divisions. The other part of the bill obliges all clergymen, from forty pounds a year and upwards, to reside, and build a house in his parish. But those of 401. are remitted till they shall receive 100%. out of the revenue of first fruits granted by her late majesty.

R 2

A PROPOSAL

FOR

AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT TO PAY OFF THE DEBT OF THE NATION, WITHOUT TAXING THE SUBJECT: BY WHICH THE NUMBER OF LANDED GENTRY AND SUBSTANTIAL FARMERS WILL BE CONSIDERABLY INCREAS

ed, and no PERSON WILL BE THE POORER, OR CON TRIBUTE ONE FARTHING TO THE CHARGE.* '1732.

THE debts contracted some years past for the service and safety of the nation, are grown so great, that under our present distressed condition, by the want of trade, the great remittances to pay absentees, regiments serving abroad, and many other drains of money well enough known and felt, the kingdom seems altogether unable to discharge them, by the common methods of payment: and either a poll or land tax would be too odious to think of, especially the latter: because the lands, which have been let for these ten or dozen years past, were raised so high, that the owner can at present hardly réceive any rent at all. For it is the usual practice of an Irish tenant rather than want land, to offer more for a farm than he knows he can be ever able to pay; and in that case he grows desperate, and pays nothing at all. So that a land tax upon a racked estate, would be a burden wholly insupportable.

The reader will perceive the following treatise to be altogether ironical. H.

The question would then be, how these national debts can be paid; and how I can make good the several particulars of my proposal; which I shall now lay open to the public.

The revenues of their graces and lordships, the archbishops and bishops of this kingdom (excluding the fines) do amount, by a moderate computation to 36800l. per ann. I mean the rents which the bishops receive from their tenants. But the real value of those lands at a full rent, taking the several sees, one with another, is reckoned to be at least three fourths more: so that multiply ing 36800l. by 4, the full rent of all the bishops' lands will amount to 147200l. per ann. from which subtracting the present rent received by their lordships, that is 36800l.; the profits of the lands received by the first and second tenants (who both have great bargains) will rise to the sum of 110400l. per ann.; which lands, if they were to be sold at twenty-two years purchase, would raise a sum of 2428800l., reserving to the bishops their present rents, only excluding fines.

Of this sum I propose that out of the one half, which amounts to 12144007. so much to be applied, as will entirely discharge the debts of the nation; and the remain⚫der be laid up in the treasury, to supply contingencies, as well as to discharge some of our heavy taxes, until the kingdom shall be in a better condition.

But, whereas the present set of bishops would be great losers by this scheme for want of their fines; which would be a hard treatment to such religious, loyal, and deserving personages; I have therefore set apart the other half, to supply that defect, which it will more than sufficiently do.

A bishop's lease for the full term is reckoned to be worth eleven years purchase; but if we take bishops · round, I suppose there may be four years of each lease

elapsed; and many of the bishops being well stricken in years, I cannot think their lives round to be worth more than seven years purchase; so that the purchasers may very well afford fifteen years purchase for the reversion, especially by one great additional advantage, which I shall soon mention.

This sum of 24288007. must likewise be sunk very considerably; because the lands are to be sold only at fifteen years purchase, and this lessens the sum to about 1656000l. of which I propose twelve hundred thousand pounds to be applied partly for the payment of the national debt, and partly as a fund for future exigencies; and the remaining, 456000l. I propose as a fund for paying the present set of bishops their fines; which it will abundantly do, and a great part remain as an addition to the public stock.

Although the bishops round do not in reality receive three fines a piece, which take up twenty-one years, yet I allow it to be so; but then I will suppose them to take but one year's rent, in recompense of giving them so large a term of life; and thus multiplying 36800 by 3, the product will be only 110400l. so that above three fourths will remain to be applied to public use.

If I have made wrong computations, I hope to be excused, as a stranger to the kingdom; which I never saw till I was called to an employment, and yet where I intend to pass the rest of my days; but I took care to get the best informations I could, and from the most proper persons; however, the mistakes I may have been guilty of will very little affect the main of my proposal; although they should cause a difference of one hundred thousand pounds, more or less.

These fines are only to be paid to the bishop during his incumbency in the same see: if he change it for a better, the purchasers of the vacant see lands are to come