’We are, of course, aware that you are about to stand your trial at the next assizes for the offence in question.  I beg you to understand that I do not express any opinion as to your guilt.  But I think it right to point out to you that in the event of a jury finding an adverse verdict, the bishop will be placed in great difficulty unless he were fortified with the opinion of a commission formed from your fellow clerical labourers in the diocese.  Should such adverse verdict unfortunately be given, the bishop would hardly be justified in allowing a clergyman placed as you then would be placed, to return to his cure after the expiration of such punishment as the judge might award, without a further decision from an ecclesiastical court.  This decision he could only obtain by proceeding against you under the Act in reference to clerical offences, which empowers him as bishop of the diocese to bring you before the Court of Arches—­unless you would think well to submit yourself entirely to his judgment.  You will, I think, understand what I mean.  The judge at assizes might find it his duty to imprison a clergyman for a month—­regarding tat clergyman simply as he would regard any other person found guilty by a jury and thus made subject to his judgment—­and might do this for an offence which the ecclesiastical judge would find himself obliged to visit with the severer sentence of prolonged suspension, or even with deprivation.

’We are, however, clearly of the opinion that should the jury find themselves able to acquit you, no further action whatsoever should be taken.  In such case we think that the bishop may regard your innocence to be fully established, and in such case we shall recommend his lordship to look upon the matter as altogether at an end.  I can assure you that in such case I shall so regard it myself.

’You will perceive that, as a consequence of this resolution, to which we have already come, we are not minded to take any inquiries ourselves into the circumstances of your alleged guilt, till the verdict of the jury shall be given.  But should you be convicted, we must in that case advise the bishop to take the proceedings to which I have alluded, or to abstain from taking them.  We wish to ask you whether, now that our opinion has been conveyed to you, you will be willing to submit the bishop’s decision, in the event of an adverse verdict being given by the jury; and we think that it will be better for us all that you should meet us here at the hour I have named on Monday next, the fifteenth instant.  It is not our intention to make any report to the bishop until the trial shall be over.—­I have the honour to be, my dear sir, your obedient servant,

’Mortimer Tempest
’The Rev. Josiah Crawley,
‘Hogglestock.’

In the same envelope Dr Tempest sent a short private note, in which he said that he should be very happy to see Mr Crawley at half-past one on the Monday named, that luncheon would be ready at that hour, and that, as Mr Crawley’s attendance was required on public grounds, he would take care that a carriage was provided for the day.