414 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. V

acquainted him with the Annual Value as far as I knew of All
that were vacant & left it to himself to take which he pleased ;
His Ldp had indeed signified his Desire that in Case neither
of the best Livings happened to be vacant M^r Alien should
hold two of the smaller but that I apprehended he could not
do without the Consent of the Vestries under the Act of
Assembly made in 1702 & if he could I must thereupon have
deprived or ousted one of those who had for some time
officiated as Curates for every Parish in the Province was then
supplied with a Clergyman & even the Probationers except
one or two had in Consequence of His Ldps Instructions been
promised Inductions. That His Ldp was desirous M^r Alien
should be provided for & gratified before any one else was
very evident to Me but I did not apprehend that His Ldp
would have me in order to serve that Gentleman take any
Step that should be likely to occasion Discontent & afford the
Assembly even a Pretence for saying that the Law was dis-
pensed with or violated & to that Effect am I confident they
will remonstrate whenever two Parishes are bestowed on One
Clergyman without the Consent of the Vestries previously
obtained, nor have I any doubt but the Vestries will in such
Case prevent his being paid in either Parish at least without
a Law Suit, nevertheless if M^r Alien is willing to make a
Tryal & His Ldp pleases I will oust one of the Probationers
whom I purposely have declined inducting & give M^r Alien
an Induction also to that Parish. By the List I shall herewith
transmit you will see the present Annual Value of the several
Livings in the Province, among them are some that are very
good but neither of these hath happened to fall since the first
Intimation was given Me of His Lordships Desire to provide
for M^r Alien, the best that became vacant was S^t Lukes in
Queen Annes County which I kept vacant a long time & at
his Arrival made him an Offer of it, but when he declined
accepting it & desired I would vacate this Parish for him I
was under a necessity of presenting to S^t Lukes the then
Rector of this Parish. The Gentlemen that enjoy S^t Johns
Parish in Baltimore & Queen Annes in Prince Georges County
both of them very healthy Parts of the Country are old &
infirm as are also the Rectors of several other Parishes more
valuable than this, M^r Bacon too who holds the most valuable
Living in the Province seems to be declining & is advanced in
years, which ever of those Parishes becomes vacant will be at
M^r Allens Choice but if he would stand well with the people
he will find it necessary to reside in his Parish else he may
expect to hear things said that will give him Uneasiness tho I
am apt to think he does not suspect that his continuing to
reside here would be productive of any such Consequence.