EPISCOPAL NEPOTISM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SPECTATOR.

Cross, Somerset.

SIR-During an important survey in which I have been engaged in the West of England, I spent a Sunday at the village of Cross. During the evening, my attention was attracted to a resitectable-looking old man who passed by appa- rently exhausted with fatigue. Upon inquiry, I ascettained that it was the Rev. -, who was returning from serving the church of a neighbouring pluralist, who was gone to Cheltenham fur the season with his wife and daugh- ters. My infiwmant spoke of the aged traveller so kindly, that I was induced to inquire into further particulars of his story. It turns out that he had seen days of affluence ; that he is a man of merit and considerable attainments ; and now, at the age of " three-seme years and ten," he was reduced to poverty, and had not even a curacy, but was living upon the charity of his relations, and occasional engagements, like the one from which he was now returning, and which were, Like angel visits, sh, rt, and far between."

To my expressed conviction that his Diocesan would certainly do something for him, if he were made acquainted with the ease, I was told that the case was perfectly well known to his Lordship, and had been repeatedly urged upon his attentiun ; and he significantly tolled-. This gentleman pos-esses every quali- fication for preferment except that of being a relation of his Bishop, who during the whole of his episcopal career in this diocese has never yet pro- moted one poor and friendless curate." Since this event, I have taken some pains to collect some accurate informa- tion on this latter point ; and it certainly does furnish some very strong reasons against giving any additional patronage to this excellent Bishop, who has so acute a sense of the propriety of taking care of " his own." I find that scarcely one living or dignity of any value has been bestowed except upon the Bishop's relations; and some of the livings have been thus bestowed three times since 1824.

The following is a list of the livings and persons to whom they were given : those in Italics are connexions of the Bishop; those numbered 7, 14, and 21, were given to the incumbents first named, on condition of their resigning other preferment to make room for his Lordship's friends.

Clear value.

NOTE&

I. This gentleman is son of the Bishop of Bath and Walk" aintie 1. Canon Rteideotiary of Well.,

'1. Archdeaconry:of Wells 2. Chancellorship 3. Arehdeaconry of Taunton 4. Treasurership 6. West Camel 7. Chard 8. Chelwnod 9. Christian Mulford 10. Corston 11. Ilehester 12. Othcry 13. Stowey I 14. Weston-super-Mare 15. Do. do.

16. Do. do.

17. Yeovilton 18. Do.

19. Do.

20. West Camel 21. Do. 275 672 150 282 166 183 264 445 445 Rev. II. Law Rev. IL Law Rev. A. Hamilton Rev. Robert Law

Rex. H. Law £270 Rev. W. B. Whitehead... 4:36 Rev. R. Warner Rev. Robert Law

Rev. Morgan

Rev. P. Wilson Rev. J. N. Shipton Rev. R. Harkness

Rev. F. Blackburne ... 264

Rev. W. Barlow 264

Rev. H. Law Rev. H. Law Rev. R. Law

Hon. W. Law 445 Rev. W. H.Lushington 2/0

Rev. -. Desalts 270 2. Archdeacon of Wells.

3. Chancellor of Wells.

4. Rector of Weston-super-Mare. He /IAS bees also 5. Rector of West Camel.

6. Yeoviltoo.

Ile HAT be

7. Vicar of Kcrrow wortb....f 186 8. - South Brent 548 9. --- !Nish Episcopi 210

These three being in his gift as Archdeacon ; and he has also the power of presenting himself or his friends to a portion of the larger preferment of the Dean and Chapter of Wells. 3. This was given to Mr. Hamilton on condition orthe then Dean of Wells nominating the Bishop's son to the first Canonry ; a condition very shorly ful- filled, the members of the Chapter taking it in their turn to nominate a Canon. 4. This gentleman, another son of Mc Bishop. in virtue of his dignity as Treasurer, has presented a friend of his to the Vicarage of Martock, worth 270/., and received himself a fine of five hundred guineas. 6. The Bishop required Mr. Willes to reside on or resign this living. Mr. Willes chose the latter; and the Bishop presented his son to the vacant living. 20. This gentleman, a near connexion of the Bishop, was Rector of West Camel for a few weeks, and was then presented to Eastley, in Kent, by Lord Winchilsea, on condition of the Bishop of Bath and Wells giving West Camel to Mr. Deedes, a Kentish man.

21. See above note, '20. SUMMARY.

Thus, of twenty pieces of preferment (omitting the Prceentership), fourteen have been given to his own connexions by the Bishop Three, viz. 3, 7, and 14, have been presented for the reasons before stated ; and the three remaining ones, 8, 11, and 12, have been given to persons who had other preferment or considerable private fortune. I believe every statement herein to be strictly true ; and I hope that I am confiding this statement to men of honour, who will take pains to make public every part of it, except the communicant, whose ruin would be inevitable if this letter could be traced to him.

The livings of Weston-super-Mare, West Camel, and Yeovilton, have each been vacant three times since Dr. LAW came to the Diocese. They have been given seven times to the Bishop's relations, and twice to make room elsewhere fur the Bishop's personal friends. If you do not believe me, refer to the Chris- tian Reniembrancer or the Clerical Guides.

To this list must be added the following precious specimen of Episcopal jobbing in preferment-

In the year 1834,

1. R. V. Law was Prebendary of Chester.

2. W. Barlow was Rector of Westonsuper-Mare. 3. II. Law was Rector of Yeovilton.

The Bishop wished to get No. I nearer to him, and persuaded the Bishop of Chester to make No. 2 Prebendary of Chester in lieu of No. 1. The arrange- ment then was as follows:

I. Rector of Yeovilton.

2. Prebendary of Chester.

3. Rector of Weston super-Mare. In a few weeks something better turned up, and No. 1 becomes Rector of Christian Malfinal, 7001. a year. and the Honourable William Law is made Rector of Yeovilton.

J. T. Law and R. V. Law have recently become possessed of considerable estates in Banwell, a manor belonging to the Bishop. No, doubt they had.very heavy fines imposed upon them when they renewed their leases. So much for Dr. Law, while Bishop of Bath and Wells; but as Bishop of Chester he was equally desirous to quarter his family on the Church, and equally successful in his efforts for that end. The following facts have refer- ence to his proceedings as Bishop of Chester. Three out of the six Prebendaries are his near connexions.

1. James Slade.

2. R. V. Law, formerly a Midshipman. 3. W. Barlow, formerly a Dragoon Officer.

All the persons whose acmes are below are his relations, and hare held or still hold the following preferments :

Commissary of the Archdeaconry of Richmond J. T. Law Chancellor of Lichfield J. T. Law

Prebendary of Lichfield J. T. Law Vicar of Harborne 1. T. Law £624

Do. of Bowden .37 J. T. Law 4

Rector of Tattenball J T. Law 277 Vicar of Bolton. le Moors J Slade 464

Rector of Kirby West 703 Wallagey J. Slade It. V. Law 393 Weverham R. V. Law 325 Coddington R. V. Law 262 Do. do. W. Barlow ........ 262

These are all I can now recollect ; and I am sure I have understated the num- ber of preferments hell by this family. The present Bishop, after all, has not done so much for his family as his pre- decessor in the see of Bath and Wells. I have only time for a short statement.

All the livings (almost) not given by Bishop Law, are held by relatives of Bishop Beadon. Richard Beadon, the Bishop's only son, has the Manor of

Wiveliscombe. worth. £4000 a year. His son is Registrar of the Diocese.

F. Beadon, Chancellor of the Church.

, Canon of Wells 800 , Prebendary of Compton Bishop. H. W. Barnard, Canon of Wells 800 , Vicar of St. Cuthbert's, Wells 500

---, late Vicar of Yattan 422 R. A'Court Beadon, Prebendary of Wiveliseotnbe. F. F. Beaton, Vicar of Campton Bishop 185 , Vicar of Pilron 235

C. Beadon, Rector of Uxbridge 158 D. Trentlett, Rector of Rodney Stoke 339 N. Ruddock, Westbury 251 C. Johnson senior, South Brent 548 junior, White Lackington 219 . Berrow 186 C. Rockett, East Brent 902 , Weston Zoylland . 284 Butler Beadon, Over Stowey 150 , Middleasay 185 George Rous, Laverton 277 All connexions of Dr. Beadon ; and this is not one- half that has been held by this family within twenty years. .