Church Briefs. By Wyndham Anstis Bewes, LL.B. (A. and C.
Black.)—The sub-title will explain the subject of this volume, "Royal Warrants for Collections for Charitable Objects." The " briefs " were finally abolished in 1827, the three in that year being for rebuilding of churches at Uttoxeter and Leek, and for repairing damage by fire at Ingoldwells in Lincolnshire. No return is extant of the proceeds of these collections, and we have to go back to 1825 for information about results. These seem to have been entirely inadequate to the trouble taken. Six briefs are accounted for in that year, all for church restoration. The sum wanted was £5,614; .22,104 was collected ; and the net result just over .2900, the expenses taking more than half. It was high time that so cumbrous a form of charity should be abolished Some of the earlier collections are of an interesting kind. In 1653 a great fire took place at Marlborough, damage to the estimated amount of .270,000 being done. A net sum of 218,000 was collected, but it was not got in without difficulty, and there were disputes about the distribution of it, complaints being made of over-valuation by some of the sufferers, "and preva- lence and acquaintance with some of the committees." Tossibly these sufferers, if not Marlborough itself, "hoped from angry heaven another fire." Such a fire did take place in 1679. Thirteen years afterwards the use of thatch in buildings was prohibited. Immediately after the Marlborough brief came that for the Vaudois, in whose valleys there had been the cruel massacre, denounced by Milton's famous sonnet. More than 4250,000 was ultimately collected. Charles II. has been mewed
of appropriating what was left of this fund. This was actually done by Richard Cromwell; Charles repaid it. About the same time relief was given to Protestants in Poland, who had been treated in much the same way. Mr. Bewes deserves thanks for the zeal and industry with which he has illustrated this interest- ing subject.
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