The objections to paying tithes at that period went much further than such objections as are urged by Paley.—Moral and Political Philosophy, book vi., iii. A corn-rent, as he suggests, or such commutation of tithes as is now adopted, would not have met the objections. A fixed and uniform stipend paid by the State was widely desired.
[602] Scobell, 139.
"1646, 15th December.—It is ordered that Mr. Tooley, &c., shall treat with the dean and prebends about mending the windows and repairing the cathedral church, and to consider whether it be fit to remove the pulpit to the former place where it stood or not, and to examine whether there be £100 a year appointed for the repairing of the church, and how much thereof is in arrear."
"1647.—8th November. It is ordered that the sheriffs shall give entertainment to the preachers who come to preach at the cathedral in such manner as the former sheriffs did, and that they shall give like allowance for the same as they did."—Extracted from the Norwich Corporation Records.
[603] Husband, 758. The following minutes are extracted from a MS. volume of proceedings in the library of Sion College, London.
December, 1644. At a meeting of the governors of the school and almshouses of Westminster:—
Whereas the governors of the schools and almshouses of Westminster, have, by their former order, nominated and appointed Mr. Strong to be minister of the Abbey Church, Westminster, in the room and place of Mr. Marshall, and in regard Mr. Marshall cannot well perform the service any longer, without inconveniency to him; it is ordered that the said Mr. Strong be desired to undertake the service so soon as possibly he can, and he is to have the allowance of £200 and a house; being the same allowance as the said Mr. Marshall had for his pains, to be taken therein. And the trustees are to pay him the same £200 and quarterly by even and equal portions. The first payment to commence from the time he shall begin the service, and to continue till he shall leave it.
At a committee of the Lords and Commons for the College of Westminster, sitting in the dean's house, the 3rd March, 1645-6:—
After reciting the ordinance of the 18th of November the committee "do nominate and appoint Mr. Philip Nye, minister of God's Word, to preach the term lecture in the said collegiate church, and receive the yearly stipend and allowance for the same. And the Reverend General of the said College for the time being is hereby authorized and required to pay the same unto the said Mr. Philip Nye, at such time as the same hath been heretofore usually paid, and we do further nominate and appoint the said Mr. P. Nye to preach the lecture upon every Lord's day in the morning, at seven of the clock, for which he shall receive such allowance as hereafter shall be settled and appointed by this committee."
9th July, 1646.—By an order of this date, Mr. Nye was to have £50 a year, to be paid quarterly.