§ Mr. Walterpresented a Petition on the subject of tithes from the Inhabitants of Wokingham and its Vicinities. It might recommend the object of the petitioners to the favourable consideration of the House, when he assured it that they did not wish to infringe in any manner the just rights of the clergy, nor to divert to foreign or unbecoming purposes the funds to be raised out of an equitable commutation of tithe; of which system, however, as it now existed, they earnestly prayed the House to undertake the immediate extinction. He could further state, that in no communication which he had ever had, whether with members of the Church of England itself, or with Dissenters, had any disposition appeared to despoil the Church of a fair equivalent for its present revenues. The most difficult topic connected with this question was, the possession of tithe by laymen and by lay Corporations; and, upon this head 1160 the petitioners complained, that in many places, where the tithes extended over some thousands of acres, and were in possession of private individuals or Corporations, all that the incumbent of the living received was an antiquated stipend of 30l., or 40l., or 50l., a-year. The petitioners submitted, that it would be no more than just to enforce that old law which might still exist in statute, though not in practice, of enforcing an adequate maintenance for the vicars and resident ministers out of those impropriations, which were so mal-appropriated. The rest of the petition was so temperate and rational, as to entitle it to the utmost attention of the House.
The Petition was laid on the Table.