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Canterbury , had imposed mortuary fees pro salute animu However , in a few words , to render the thing familiar ,. suppose any man had four beasts : one of those was to go to the Lord , of the soil , another to the Church , &c , and to do away with this distribution , mortuary fees are instituted and demanded . By the 21 st Henry VIII . all such fees received
by the Catholic clergy were continued to the Protestant ; but that Act stated that such fees were only to be claimed in places where they were before accustomed to be paid . It was important to every man to know how thp law stood on this subject ; because , in all cases when the demand for mortuary fees was made , the clergyman was bound to prove that the existence of such fees was antecedent to
that Act of Henry VIII . There was no doubt that the right existed , that proceedings to enforce it had occurred in the Ecclesiastical Courts ; but when the right was denied , these courts could not interpose , and in many instances the claim had been resisted with success . Let the
meeting bear this in mind , that the clergyman was always bound to prove the existence of the right or custom to pay such fees , antecedent to the 21 st Henry VTII . There was one remarkable case on this subject which had occurred , and which realized the justness of the proverb , that it was better for the " cobbler to stick to his last . " It was this : the
Vicar of Christ Church , in Hampshire , had made a demand for mortuary fees ; that Vicar , he had no doubt , was a very enlightened man ; a man not satisfied with ecclesiastical learning alone—with ample theology and biblical acquirements ; but who must needs be a better lawyer than lawyers . The Rev . Mr . Clapham
had put together some ponderous volumes on the law , and with his twofold knowledge of theology and law , had made a demand on a Dissenter for a mortuary fee . Every one trembled at this demand , because made by a clergyman , but particularly by a writer on law . He was looked upon as an oracle . It appeared , however , that this theologico-lawyer
mistook the mode of proceeding for the recovery of his demand , inasmuch as an Act of George II ., whic ; h gave to the clergyman an opportunity of summary proceedings before the magistrates for the recovery of " small offerings , " did not ieielude in i ( small offerings" this said mortuary fee , and Mr . Clapham was defeated iu his demand of 10 s . The
matter , however , went before the magistrates , who differed in opinion with their brother magistrate , the Rev . Lawyer . ; and he ( Mr . Wilks ) hoped that for the sake of his flock the Rev . Lawyer was
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more enlightened oil subjects of theology and other topics than he evidently was with the law . The Rev . Gentleman was , no doubt , angry with the decision of his brother magistrates , and he ( Mr . Wilks ) must state for himself , that he was glad the new Don Quixote had been overcome .
A similar claim was made by the clergyman at Rotherham , whose wife , for so his ( Mr . Wjlks ' s ) information stated , was anxious that her husband ' s fees should suffer no dim unit ion , particularly in the case of the defunct Dissenter . The demand of ten shillings was made , and
resisted , —not for the want of means , for the relation of the deceased , he was glad to say , had ample means , —but he felt it his duty to resist what he thought an improper claim . When called upon he answered as became a Hampden —• " 'Tis not the amount of the claim * to which I
object , but it is the principle which I reject . "—The claim was urged—the claim was resisted ; the Society co-operated in the resistance , and the claim was eventually withdrawn . ( Applause . ) ¦—He then said , the long and dreary catalogue of grievances which required the
interposition of this Society , and which he was annually obliged to notice , was the subject of riots and disturbances which took place throughout the country at the Dissenting places of public worship . One would have hoped that the demons of persecution would have allowed Christian worshipers to adore
their God in peace , and would have respected the sanctuary dedicated to his praise , his honour , and his glory ; but , no : and as this grievance increased , the more the diligence of the Society was rendered necessary . To the necessity they were not blind ; to remove it they used the most assiduous attention .
Schools , as well as churches , were made the scenes of profane riot . The particular scenes of disturbance were Llatidiloes , in Montgomeryshire ; Market-cross , Lancashire ; Daiton ( Ulverston ) ; Cre * diton , in Devonshire ; South Cerney , in Gloucestershire ; Chigwell , in Essex ; and in the immediate vicinity of this
metropolis , at Elderwalk , Islington . The disturbance at Hainault House , near Chigwell , deserved particular notice , from the fact that Its amiable owner , Mrs . Nicholson , had devoted certain rooms in her house to the pious object of religious instruction to her neighbours . To annoy her and disturb those who went for
instruction , squibs and crackers were thrown , animals even let loose , cockchaffers and birds . were L flying , about , extinguishing the candles ; but this , by the exertions of tfiis Society , was put a stop to . The disturbances at South
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438 - Intelligence . ^ Protestant Society : Mr . fFiiis ' s Speech .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1824, page 438, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2526/page/54/
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