[Footnote 3:  The minister and churchwardens of Greenwich applied to the House of Commons on February 14th, 1710/1, for aid in the rebuilding of their church.  The House referred the application to a committee.  On February 28th the lower house of Convocation sent a deputation to the Speaker expressing their satisfaction at what had been done.  On his reporting this to the House on the following day, they expressed their readiness to receive information.  The lower house of Convocation prepared a scheme and presented it to the Speaker on March 9th; this was referred to the committee on the 10th.  Acting on a hint received from the court, the bishops and clergy presented an Address to the Queen on March 26th, and this was followed by a Message from Her Majesty, on the 29th, to the House of Commons, recommending that Parliament should undertake “the great and necessary work of building more churches.”  On April 9th the House of Commons replied in an Address, promising to make provision, and resolved, on May 1st, to grant a supply for building fifty new churches in or about London and Westminster.  On May 8th it fixed the amount at a sum “not exceeding L350,000.”  In pursuance of this a Bill was introduced on May 18th, which received the Royal Assent on June 12th (9 Ann. c. 17).  This Bill granted L350,000 (to be raised by a duty on coals) for building fifty new churches in London and Westminster.

In this connection it is interesting to remember that Swift, two years before, had recommended the building of more churches as part of his suggestions for “the advancement of religion.”  See his “Project for the Advancement of Religion” (vol. iii., p. 45 of present edition). [T.S.]]

[Footnote 4:  In their Address, on April 9th, 1711, the House of Commons said:  “Neither the long expensive war, in which we are engaged, nor the pressure of heavy debts, under which we labour, shall hinder us from granting to your Majesty whatever is necessary, to accomplish so excellent a design, which, we hope, may be a means of drawing down blessings from Heaven on all your Majesty’s other undertakings, as it adds to the number of those places, where the prayers of your devout and faithful subjects will be daily offered up to God, for the prosperity of your Majesty’s government at home, and the success of your arms abroad.” [T.S.]]

[Footnote 5:  “Natural and Political Observations ... upon the Bills of Mortality.”  By John Graunt, 1662.  The writer says in chap. x. that Cripplegate parish was two hundred times as big as some of the parishes in the city. [T.S.]]

[Footnote 6:  An abbreviation of modus decimandi, a composition in lieu of payment of tithes. [T.S.]]

NUMB. 44.[1]

FROM THURSDAY MAY 24, TO THURSDAY MAY 31, 1711.

  Scilicet, ut possem curvo dignoscere rectum.[2]