The Oxford
Oxford Magazine;

For SEPTEMBER, 1768.

The Rifing of the inferior Clergy, to demand an Increase of Wages.
[With a curious Copper-plate annexed.]

86

The Rifing of the inferior Clergy, to demand an Increase of Wages.

felves, it can hardly ever be faid, that their lives are contrary to their doctrine.

Such confiderations as thefe are fufficient to convince us, that it is improbable the inferior clergy fhould ever think of Rifing; or that, if they fhould, the attempt would appear the greateft impropriety and abfurdity. Nay, it would argue them guilty of avarice; a vice which I never knew laid to their charge. I have, indeed, known a lecturer, who received at the rate of four guineas per fermon, afk a brother clergyman to officiate for him gratis, though he knew he did not get twenty pounds fer annum in the church, and had, befides, a wife and children to provide for. The poor clergyman complied with the request of his brother without delay. Thus the former faved his money; while the latter was engaged in the faving of fouls. I leave every one to determine, which was moft to be honoured: and I doubt not but the prayer of the lecturer is, Let brotherly love continue.

But as the inferior clergyman may not always be able to fupply himself with a decent gown and linen on thefe occafions, the overflowings of his benevolence must confequently produce a fenfibility of constraint, and all confiraint produces uneafinefs, and uneafinefs fets the mind to work to find fome relief, if not an effectual remedy.

From this fucceffion of ideas I imagine fome of the inferior clergy might unadvifedly think of Rifing; and I am pofitive that this has been the cafe of a clergyman of my own acquaintance.

When he read the paragraph in the Daily Advertiser, declaring the lecturefhip of Shoreditch vacant, he had fome thoughts of propofing himfelf as a candidate. With this defign he applies to the churchwarden, who alked him his name, and defired him

to fhew him one of his hand-bills
my- - did not look more aghaft,
when he iffued out on the riot night
from the Mantion-house to feize all
the mob himself, than our clergyman
did, when he heard this question.
However, he fummoned up courage
enough to anfwer the churchwarden,
"That-he-did-not-know-
that-printed bills-were proper –
to be delivered before he had the
approbation of the vicar." The
churchwarden, who has nothing of
the infolence of office, told him very
kindly, "That he was indeed of
his opinion with refpect to the im-
propriety of printing bills fo foon;
but as other gentlemen had done it,
he did not know-but he begged his
pardon." The clergyman having
now furmounted his fears, took his
leave of the churchwarden, who
added, "that he need not doubt
but that the parish would have a due
regard to merit." The laft fentence
gave my friend, as he told me, fome
tranfport; he thought if merit was to
fucceed, he had fome chance, for he
was poor, and he was learned. No-
thing diftreffed him now but the want
of a drefs to put him upon a footing
with Mr. Romaine, the ordinary of
Newgate, and the reft of the twenty-
five, which compofed the group of
candidates. A diitrefs, which has fo
turned his brain, that he has thoughts
of calling a meeting of his brethren
in order to draw up an application
to parliament, not confidering, that
if there fhould be a meeting, it is
liable to meet with the cenfure of
the prefent 1-d m-r, who may
iffue out an advertisement against
them, to the fame tenor and purport,
as that against the coalheavers. And
indeed with great propriety.
the inferior clergy can urge nothing
in their favour, but what the coal-
heavers and taylors have done before
them. They muft fet forth, that
they bear great burthens, or, in the

For

fcripture

87

the Earl of Effex. plications are both improper and ridiculous: and fire and word are very pernicious in their effects. I doubt not but the clergy would acquit themfelves to the fatisfaction of all true lovers of humanity, and receive the thanks of their primate as readily for Javing both the life and foul of their brethren in Chrift, as the foldiers have, who were thanked for destroying the lives and endangering the fouls of thofe whom they killed.

Anecdote relating to fcripture language, that though they bear the heat and burthen of the day, they are not as well paid as thofe that work but one hour;-that they are ftarving-that they have numerous families to fubfift by their labour, though the price of fermons has not rifen fince the Reformation, and every neceffary of life has been continually increafing in value, &c." Thefe are the chief heads of the petition of the inferior clergy; but I could with they would decline to prefent it, till they have weighed it more maturely. In the mean while, as I am a friend to the church, I would advise them to lay their fcheme afide, and to adopt another in its

room.

As they belong to the church militant, and, as fuch, are engaged in wars of a dangerous nature, I would have them make an application to Superfede the prefent guard at the King's Bench, and to have their pay added to that, which they might make by preaching and reading. This might be a means of enabling them to fupport themfelves with greater dignity, and of faving the fouls of many a one, whom the difagreeable circumftances of fire and ball might fend unprepared into the world of fpirits. As the diftemper of the mob is not external, but internal, all external ap

It is a general opinion, that our dreams are compofed of thofe ideas which make a ftrong impreffion on the mind when we are awake; and I have reason to think, that this opinion is well grounded. For, while I was fitting in my chair, reflecting on the hardships of the inferior clergy, the uncharitableness of the dignitaries of the church, and the riots occafioned by the coalheavers, failors, and taylors, I funk down infenfibly into the balmy arms of fleep; and my imagination realized the fcene, which I had been thinking on. I was prefented with the fight of a real Rifing of the inferior clergy; but as the art of design has an advantage over rhetoric in defcribing the objects of fight, I have fent you a drawing of my dream for your own amufement, and the diverfion of the public.

To the EDITORS of the OXFORD MAGAZINE. An Anecdote relating to the Earl of Essex; and an Original Letter from Lord-Keeper EGERTON on that Occafion.