When the late Lord Bishop of Durham first intended to have a place of
Divine Worship erected in Kings Wood, his Scheme was,--To solicit
Subscriptions for building a Chapel, and to give 400 pounds towards the
Endowment of it, in order to get the like Sum from the Governors of Q.
Ann's Bounty. And he was pleased to lay his Commands upon me to make
Application to persons the most likely to contribute to that good Work.
The report I brought him in Consequence of such Application, was to this
Effect, that they highly approved of the pious and charitable design, but
disliked the particular Scheme of erecting a Chapel of Ease to the Church
of St. Philip and Jacob, as this would not answer the good purposes his
Lordship intended; and therefore proposed a Division of the Parish, and
the Erection of a new Parish and parish Church.
His observations on this Proposal were the following,--That the intended
Chapel in Kings Wood would not have been a Chapel of Ease to Saint Philip
and Jacob, but distinct from it, as the Incumbent would have had nothing
farther to do with the Chapel, or the income of it, but barely to
nominate the Curate, who from thence forward would have been independent
of him: However he thought the Scheme of erecting a new Parish to be much
preferable in itself, but was attended with more difficulties; and
therefore gave up his own Scheme with pleasure, if the Parties concerned
would join their Endeavours to Execute the other.
Upon this occasion He not only permitted, but _ordered_ me to say to all
Persons, and in all Companies, that he had allotted a Benefaction of 400
pounds for that Use. And when some of the principal Parishioners had
fixed upon the Boundaries of their new intended Parish, and had presented
a kind of Petition or Memorial to him, To have those limits specified in
the intended Act of Parliament, they used the following expressions.
"Whereas it hath been made known unto Us,--That your Lordship hath
proposed to endeavour to obtain an Act of Parliament for Dividing the
said Parish of St. Philip and Jacob, and for erecting and endowing a
Church for the said Parishioners,--And that _you have been pleased to
offer a large Subscription thereto_, We therefore with grateful Hearts
humbly take this opportunity of tendering you our hearty thanks for this
your pious and charitable Intention, and being very desirous that the
same may be executed, beg leave to assure your Lordship, that we will use
our best Endeavours for promoting the same, &c."
Which Petition or Memorial He ordered his Secretary to copy out on two
Pieces of Parchment. And then he, the Bishop, sent them to me to carry
them to the Parishioners to be signed; and directed me at the same time
to desire some of the parishioners to attend him at his Palace, which was
on a Sunday Evening; And in their and my Presence he wrote the following
words at the Bottom of one of the Petitions:
"I see no objection against the Division of the Parish above
mentioned, and hope the Gentlemen, whose Consent is necessary, will
agree to it, since the Inhabitants are the best judges, what is for
their own Convenience: and it is a matter of very little Concern to
any but them.--Jo. BRISTOL."
Likewise when the Fields, which lay contiguous to the intended Church,
were to be purchased, he went to see them, and then and there declared in
my hearing, and, as far as I can recollect, in the hearing of several
persons there present, viz. Messrs. King, Harrison, &c., That he would
purchase them for the use of the intended Church, as soon as ever Sir
Abraham Elton, the then Proprietor, could dispose of them.
Also He ordered me, at different times, to bring him a List or Account of
all the monies advanced, or engaged for: And I always put down his name
with 400 pounds opposite to it, which he approved of.
Moreover, in the preamble of the Act of Parliament, drawn up by Mr.
Pearson his Lordship's Secretary, under his Direction, there are these
words:
"And the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Durham (late of Bristol) for
promoting so good a design is disposed and ready to give the sum of
400 pounds towards the Endowment of the new intended Vicarage, &c."
Which words in the first copy ran thus, "And the Right Rev. the Lord
Bishop of Bristol, &c.," He being then Bishop of the See of Bristol; And
I have heard his Lordship repeat those words in perusing the said Copy.
Farther; upon the Coming of the present Lord Bishop of Bristol to this
See, He ordered me to draw up a short State of the Case relating to the
new intended Church, and the Several Expences necessary for completing
the Design, which Paper was afterwards shown to the Commissioners
appointed by Act of Parliament for building the said Church, And they
Requested, That it might be printed. But before it was sent to the
press, I transmitted a Copy to the late Lord Bishop of Durham, then in
London, to know if his Lordship approved of the Publication of it, and
whether He would please to make any alteration. His answer was, That he
saw no need of Alterations, and thought that the Printing and Dispersing
of it might be of service to the charity.
I then directed Mr. Oliver the Printer to call upon his Lordship for the
Manuscript, which he did; and after printing the same, He carried fifty
Copies to his Lordship for his own use; One of which Copies was sent to a
pious and charitable lady, but whether by his Lordship, or his Secretary,
I cannot say; The Issue of which was, A Benefaction of 200 pounds sent to
his Lordship, To be disposed of either for the building or the Endowment
as his Lordship thought fit. Now in the printed paper above mentioned,
there are the following remarkable expressions--
"The late Lord Bishop of Bristol, now of Durham, and the Right
Worshipful the Mayor and Corporation of Bristol, _have contributed_
large Sums for carrying the said good Purposes into Execution, &c."
And upon all times and occasions, after he had Purchased the contiguous
Grounds above mentioned of Sir Abraham Elton for the sum of 375 pounds,
He used to say, That the purchase was for the use of the new Intended
Church, and did wish, That some little adjoining Tenement might be found,
to be purchased with the remaining Sum of 25 pounds in order to make up
the even money of 400 pounds.
Also when I waited on his Lordship last in London, I was desired by Mr.
Willoughby, the treasurer for the said Church, to ask his Lordship, How
he would please to have the rents of the purchased Grounds disposed of,
as some rents were then become due, viz. whether to be applied towards
the endowment--or the Building. And his answer was, That the rents,
being the Interest of the money allotted for the Charity should be
applied to the charity, as well as the Principal: But whether towards the
Endowment or Building He was not yet determined: He believed, the
Endowment: but would fix his answer, when he came down to Bristol.
And after his coming down, He several times said, that he would give
orders concerning that affair.
He also sent to me one time to acquaint me, That he had a Benefaction put
into his hands of 200 pounds (the benefaction above mentioned), And was
pleased to desire my advice, Whether it should be applied towards the
Endowment,--or the Building. My answer was, That as the Building was so
far advanced, There was not much danger, but that Contributions might be
raised to finish it,--Either by voluntary Subscriptions,--or a General
collection round the city,--or by both methods together. But it would
not be found so easy a matter to raise Contributions for the Endowment.
And the Sums hitherto procured were very far from being a Competency for
a _Resident_ Minister. I then mentioned his Benefaction of 400 pounds,
and the 400 pounds from Q. Ann's Bounty, as being a sum which might be
depended on,--Also the benefaction of 200 pounds in his Lordship's Hands;
which possibly might obtain 200 pounds more from the Bounty;--So that the
whole Sum, to be reckoned upon, even with the supposed addition of 200
pounds from the Bounty, would only amount to 1200 pounds, which at 3 per
cent., would make an Income of 36 pounds a year.
His Lordship was pleased to approve of this Reasoning upon the Case, and
said, The 200 pounds should go towards the Endowment: And as his own was
a bad Life, the Benefaction should be enrolled in the name of Mr.
Pearson, in order to try to obtain 200 pounds more from Q. Ann's Bounty.
All these particulars I am willing to testify upon Oath.