' and of Gideon' and whoso among us is new married, or even fearful and afraid, let him return to his home before the battle.

If in any such enterprize we at any time obtain success, and do service to the truth and to humanity, it is through the power of the WORD, whom we serve: and let us in that event be careful to give God the praise for men have of late (even men of God if we believe their professions) too much bepraised each other in his stead. Ourselves the mean while being by ourselves pronounced unprofitable servants, who have done but that it was our duty to do-instruments it hath pleased Him to use, but such as He could have dispensed with, and have done his work without them. And in whatsoever we may fail, and be justly condemnable, let that be ascribed to our weakness as human creatures, or to our disobedience to the Master's will. And let us not be afraid or ashamed to confess such faults to our fellow men, after finding ourselves guilty of this thing in God's sight: for in seasonable and just concessions to an adversary, lies a main point of the strength of a disputant on the right side of such a question.

Let God, then, bè true, though it cost every man the shame of being found a liar. And regard not so much who it is that speaks as what is spoken-and may the most wise God grant thee, Reader, an understanding heart; that with patience and charity thou mayst read, and not only read, but 'mark, learn, and inwardly digest' what truth may be here presented to thy notice! Thou wilt easily conceive that with these sentiments I shall not be found advancing the religious interests or pretensions of Yorkshire, before those of all England; of England, before those of Europe; of Europe, before those of my fellow believers throughout the world. 'Whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, lovely and of good report' (among the good) in Yorkshire, these are so likewise in all England, in Europe, and the world over-in the Society of Friends, in the (so-calling-itself) Church of England, among the whole body of dissenters, and with every believer and doer of the word of God: and in advocating in this way the cause of a meek and unresisting (hitherto though under continued suffering) and now, by their own faults, (let us freely own it,) much despised and trodden-down people, who yet are found upon the trial to be really God's witnesses in certain things pertaining to His great cause and controversy on the Earth, I shall be found, I trust, in a fair and full sense of my motto, (yea in more senses than one) appearing in the cause of my country. EDITOR.

ART. I.-On Tithes-generally treated.

The greatest obstacle now subsisting in this country to the exercise of a free Gospel ministry is, the exaction of a revenue for Ecclesiastical persons in the shape of a Tithe. From the present appearance of things in Ireland, and the tendency of public opinion towards a full enquiry into the state of Church property and revenues in England, the subject becomes one of primary interest and importance to the public here. And it behoves the members of our religious society especially, to inform themselves aright on all points connected with their testimony against this, and other Ecclesiastical claims. For, in a question involving so much of an outward interest, it is clear there must arise, from a more extended discussion, a still larger measure (and what we have had has been far too much for Christian consistency) of bitter uncharitable feeling, leading to angry strife. Placed between opponents thus circumstanced, having never yet yielded, with one side, to pay these dues, (as they are accounted in law) nor after the example of the other, resorted to force of any kind, in support of our opinions and outward interest, we may possibly become, in our peaceable way and on principles of equity, successful mediators between them,—or, be treated as enemies by both. And the latter event is by no means unlikely, if we take not the pains in due time, to let both know, fully and clearly, the grounds of our refusal and testimony, and the mode in which we should be satisfied to have relief. For combinations to resist wrong and seek redress of grievances, are, too often, in great part to be regarded as unreasoning and unreasonable masses of men, justly interested, but partially informed on the subject; and, it may be, inflamed by statements of their case, which are more deeply felt in the hearing, than clearly understood and remembered in subsequent proceedings.

From the very beginning of our existence as a society, we have had to suffer deeply in our property, and not very lightly in person also, on this account. I shall deem it suitable to revert at times to the subject of those sufferings, as a means of inciting us to a faithful discharge of our duty in our public Testimony, in consideration of the value of the stake we hold in it—but it may be more seasonable to do this when we shall have begun to take a view of the general subject, which will be done in the next Article, comprehending Extracts from an eminent historian* of the French nation. The reader will there find the origin of the present tithing system in the time of Charlemagne, and will have a view also of the precarious holding and great fluctuations of Ecclesiastical property in some previous reigns. Editor.

*Charles de Secondat, Baron Montesquieu, author of the "Spirit of Laws" and other works of reputation, was born in 1689, and died in 1755. He published the "Spirit of Laws" in 1748. On this he had spent very many years of his life its principles are founded on the radical diversities of mankind, owing to Climate and other causes; and it discusses at large the nature of different forms of government, from which Laws emanate and to which they ought to be adapted.-Few works are to be met with in which there are more profound ideas, more bold thoughts, or more matter for instruction." Rees' Cyclop. ad verbum Montesquieu.

ART. II.—On the first Establishment of Tithes in the French Kingdom. From Montesquieu, Esprit des Lois, Livre XXXI, Chap. 9-12.

"There is extant a discourse of Chilperic (third Christian king of France) grandson of Clovis, in which, even in that age, a prince complains that almost all his wealth had been given away to churches : our treasury,' said he, is impoverished: our riches have been transferred to the Church. The bishops alone reign and possess grandeur, which we ourselves have lost." Clovis embraced Christianity (in order to gain a victory in his wars) A.D. 496: Chilperic was murdered, 584.

"Pepin acquired his crown by protecting the Clergy: his son Charles Martel could only keep his by bearing them down. This prince perceiving that a part of the property of the public, and of the Crown, had been bestowed on the nobility, either as life estates or in fee simple, while the Clergy receiving at once from rich and poor, had got into their hands a great proportion of the freeholds, he seized on the property of the churches-taking the goods and buildings to himself and his captains, and making a new repartition of the lands, in lieu of the old fiefs, which had been done away. Thus he put an end to an abuse, which, contrary to the nature of common evils, was the more easily cured as the case was grown the more desperate. A. D. 737-741.

The Clergy have received so much during three dynasties (beginning with Clovis) that they must have had the whole value of the property in the kingdom, several times over, in their hands. But if kings, nobles and people managed so as to part with their all to the clergy, they contrived also the means to get it back to themselves. A spirit of piety in the first race of kings led to the founding of churches, which were given to military men, and by them divided among their children.

"The kings of the second race were immensely liberal in their donations. But when the Normans came in, ravaging and plundering the country, they persecuted in a more particular manner the Clergy, and aimed at the abbeys. How greatly were they stripped! There were left indeed but few Ecclesiastics to claim a restitution of their goods, when the piety of the third race found so much to do in creating new establishments, and granting new lands. The high opinions which the people were brought to entertain respecting the clergy in those ages, would again have deprived them of their all, had they been as honest as they were superstitious. But if Ecclesiastics coveted wealth and honours, so did laymen: and what the dying man gave, his successor determined to get back for himself. Nothing was stirring, now, but disputes between lords and bishops, between abbeys and the gentlemen their neighbours; and the Clergy must have been hardly put to it, since they found it needful to place themselves under the protection of particular lords; who defended

THE

YORKSHIREMAN,

A

RELIGIOUS AND LITERARY JOURNAL

No. II.

BY A FRIEND.

PRO PATRIA.

SEVENTH DAY, 11th EIGHTH Mo. 1832. PRICE 4d.

ART. I. On Tithes, generally treated. On the first establishment of Tithes, and other Ecclesiastical Claims by Law, in England, Ireland, Wales, and Calais, &c. in 1536.

Act of Parliament of Henry VIII. for the payment of Tithes, &c. Anno 27 mo, Hen. 8 vi, Cap. xx mo. For Tithes to be paid within this realm. Forasmuch as divers numbers of evil disposed persons inhabited in sundry counties, cities, towns, and places of this realm, having no respect to their duties to Almighty God, but against right and good conscience, have attempted to subtract and withhold in some places the whole, and in some places great parts of their Tithes and oblations, as well personal as predial, due unto God and Holy Church; and pursuing such their detestable enormities and injuries have attempted, in late time past, to disobey, contemn, and despise, the process, laws, and decrees of the Ecclesiastical courts of this realm in more temerous and large manner than, before this time, hath been seen; For Reformation of which injuries, and for unity and peace to be preserved amongst the King's subjects of this realm, our Sovrain Lord the King being Supreme on earth (under God) of the Church of England, willing the spiritual rights and duties of that Church to be preserved, continued, and maintained, hath ordained and enacted by authority of this present Parliament, that every of his subjects of this realm of England, Ireland, Wales, and Calais, and Marches of the same, according to the Ecclesiastical laws and ordinances of his Church of England, and after the laudable usages and customs of the parish or other place where he dwelleth or occupieth, shall yield and pay his tithes, offerings, and other duties of Holy Church, and that for such subtractions of any of the said tithes,

offerings, or other duties, the parson, vicar, curate, or other party in that behalf aggrieved may, by due process of the King's Ecclesiastical laws of the Church of England, convent the person or persons so offending before his Ordinary, or other competent judge of this realm having authority to hear and determine the right of tithes, as also to compel the same person or persons offending to do and yield their said duties in that behalf. And in case the Ordinary of the diocese, or his Commissary, or the Archdeacon, or his Official, or any other competent judge aforesaid, for any contempt, contumacy, disobedience, or other misdemeanor of the party defendant, make information and request to any of the King's most honourable Council, or to the Justices of the Peace, of the shire where such party dwelleth, to assist and aid the same Ordinary, Commissary, Archdeacon, Official, or Judge, to order or reform any such person in any cause before rehearsed, that then he of the King's said honourable Council, or such two Justices of the Peace (whereof the one to be of the Quorum) to whom such informatiou or request shall be made, shall have full power and authority, by virtue of this Act, to attach or cause to be attached the person or persons against whom such information or request shall be made, and to commit the same person or persons to ward, there to remain without bail or mainprise till that he or they shall have found sufficient surety, to be bound by recognizance or otherwise before the King's said Councillor or Justice of the Peace, to the use of our said Sovrain Lord the King, to give due obedience to the processes, proceedings, decrees, and sentences, of the Ecclesiastical courts of this realm, wherein such suit or matter for the premises shall depend or be. And that every of the King's Councillors, or two Justices of the Peace (whereof the one to be of the Quorum, as aforesaid), shall have full power and authority by virtue of this Act, to take, receive, and record recognizances and obligations in any of the cases above written.'

2. [Not to extend to any inhabitant of the city of London, because of another order made for the payment of tithes within the said city.] 3. [Every person shall have his demand and defence according to the Laws Ecclesiastical.]

4. [Provides for further regulations on this subject, by the King's Highness, and such other thirty-two persons which his Highness shall name and appoint for making and establishing the Ecclesiastical laws of the Church of England'—which, so made, were to become the law of the realm in this respect.]

King Henry the Eighth having, in the year 1534, declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church, under God, in this country, and thereby renounced the Supremacy of the Pope, this Act places in the hands of the King, his Council and Justices, the power before exercised by the Bishops and their officers, of imprisoning the subject for Ecclesiastical offences. Whoever has read the story of Richard Hunn, in Fox's Martyrs, being himself a friend to liberty, civil and