held.  I have heard a man of a thousand pounds a year, talk with great contempt of bishops’ leases, as being on a worse foot than the rest of his estate; and he had certainly reason:  My answer was, that such leases were originally intended only for the benefit of industrious husbandmen, who would think it a great blessing to be so provided for, instead of having his farm screwed up to the height, not eating one comfortable meal in a year, nor able to find shoes for his children.

[Footnote 9:  To cant means to call for bidders at an auction sale.  Probably derived from the O. French cant = quantum = how much. [T.S.]]

I know not any advantage that can accrue by such a bill, except the preventing of perjury in jurymen, and false dealing in tenants; which is a remedy like that of giving my money to an highwayman, before he attempts to take it by force; and so I shall be sure to prevent the sin of robbery.

I had wrote thus far, and thought to have put an end; when a bookseller sent me a small pamphlet, entitled, “The Case of the Laity, with some Queries;” full of the strongest malice against the clergy, that I have anywhere met with since the reign of Toland, and others of that tribe.  These kinds of advocates do infinite mischief to OUR GOOD CAUSE, by giving grounds to the unjust reproaches of TORIES and JACOBITES, who charge us with being enemies to the Church.  If I bear an hearty unfeigned loyalty to his Majesty King George, and the House of Hanover, not shaken in the least by the hardships we lie under, which never can be imputable to so gracious a prince:  If I sincerely abjure the Pretender, and all Popish successors; if I bear a due veneration to the glorious memory of the late King William, who preserved these kingdoms from Popery and slavery, with the expense of his blood, and hazard of his life:  And lastly, if I am for a proper indulgence to all dissenters; I think nothing more can be reasonably demanded of me as a WHIG, and that my political catechism is full and complete.  But whoever, under the shelter of that party denomination, and of many great professions of loyalty, would destroy, or undermine, or injure the Church established; I utterly disown him, and think he ought to choose another name of distinction for himself, and his adherents.  I came into the cause upon other principles, which, by the grace of God, I mean to preserve as long as I live.  Shall we justify the accusations of our adversaries? Hoc Ithacus velit—­The Tories and Jacobites will behold us with a malicious pleasure, determined upon the ruin of our friends:  For is not the present set of bishops almost entirely of that number, as well as a great majority of the principal clergy?  And a short time will reduce the whole, by vacancies upon death.