46o The H 1ST 0 R Y of the PuRITANs. VoL. H. Olivet this mighty outcry and fcrutiny, nothing of any confequence appeared J>rotellor. d h fi . h h d h . ' 1654 . an t ere ore 1~ \;as t oug t proper to rop t e commdfion, and bur-y· ~ the whole affm m filence. Mr. Vavqfor Powel abovememioncd, was ~alker, p. czruelly ha~dled by the welch clergy, but he ?id him_felf jufl:ice in a pam49· phlet, entitled examen & purgamm Vavaforts, pubbilied 1653, whereirr he vindicates his proceedings in the propagation. And when he was in the Fleet after the refl:oration, he publiilied a brief narrative eoncerning the proceedings of the commiffioners in Wales againfl: the ejeCted clergy, oc– cafioned by a report that he had been thrown into that prifon for fame of the revenues; which was never anfwered. Ordina~ce By an ordinance of September 2. commiffioners were appointed to en– for umtzug quire into the yearly value of all ecclefiafl:icallivin<>s and benefices without ~;;'~(~;;:~;· cure of fouls; what perfon or perfons received thtprofits, and who was greater. the patron; and to certify the fame into chancery; and if upon a careful Scobel, p. confideration of things, it lhall be found convenient and advantagious, to ·353· unite two parilhes or more into one, and that the whole ecclefiaflical re-– venues, tithes, and profits belonging to the faid parilhes fo united, lhould be applied for a provifion for one godly and painful minifler, to preach in the {aid united parilhes ; then the truflees, or commiffioners appointed by this aCt !hall reprefent the fame to his HIGHNESS and council, upon whofe approbation they lhall, by an in(hument under the hands and feals of any five, or more of them, declare, that they do thereby unite fuch parilhes into one ·; which injtrument being enrolled in cha11cery, the faid pariilies from thenceforth iliall be adjudged and taken to be confolidated into one. If there happen to be. more patrons than one in the paril11es thus united, the patrons !hall prefent by turns; but the union lhall not take place till the avoidance of one of the livings by the death of the in– cumbent; 0f.l the other hand, where parilhes were too large, the truflees for the augmentation of poor livings were empowered to divide them into twa or more, upon thei' avoidance by death. Further, if when two or more parilhes were united into one! the income or falary did not amount to one hundred pounds-per annum, the truflees for receiving impropriations, tithes, firfl fruits; and tenths, &c; were di~ reCl:ed to make up the deficiency .; and where there was-a confiderable fur– plus.they might take off the augmentati~ns form~rly granted; Pr?vi~ed this ordmance be not conflrued to refl:ram the fa1d- trufl:ees from grantmg augmentations to preachers in cities and' market towns, .where there !hall fuall be caufe, to a greater proportion, with the confent of .the proteCtor and his council. This was a noble and generous defign ; and if the pro– teCtor had lived to have carried it into execu~ion, muft have been of gene., neraUervicc to the body. of the clergy, a_ Though
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