540 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.

Letter Bk. V

out of my own Pocket for the sake of preserving Peace in the
Province) but he signified to me that such a Sum would by no
means do & again insisted on having Two Parishes agreeable
to the Tenor of His Ldp's Letter. When by the Death of M^r
Adams the Parish called S^t James's of the Annual Value of
about £300 stg became vacant I so far carried His Ldp's
Instructions into execution as to give M^r Allen such an Appoint-
ment to it as I had usually given to Ministers whom I was not
at liberty to induct so that continuing still Rector of S^t Annes
he might officiate in both Parishes & have an Opportunity of
recommending himself to the Parishioners & of making an
Interest with the Vestries without whose Consent he would
not as I apprehended be able to receive the Income of both
Parishes. On this Footing he remained for some time but
finding upon Tryal that One of the Vestries at least would not
come into his measures he took the Resolution to hold them
both without their Consent alledging that " His Ldp by a
Letter dated in Feb^ry 1767 had presented him to any Living
he might choose together with the Living of S^t Anne's of
which he was then possess't. This (said he) is a good Pre-
sentation & upon this I found a Title, it exactly corresponds
with a Writ of Beneficio primo Ecclesiastico habendo directed
by the King to the Lord Chancellor to bestow the Benefice
that shall first fall in the King's Gift on a particular Person &
the Chancellor's Refusal would be a Contempt." He quoted
to me also another Letter of His Ldps dated the 14^th of May
1767 viz "I shall be glad to be informed from you of your
having been inducted in another Living as I directed the
Governor to hold jointly with that of Annapolis where I would
have you reside" Apprehensive as I was that the Measure
would raise a Clamour & that M^r Allen would not be per-
mitted to receive the Income of the two Parishes I did not
think myself any longer at liberty to exercise my own Judg-
ment as I informed you by my Letter of the 11^th of Feb^ry 1768
when I thus wrote to you " I now transmit a Letter to His
Ldp advising him of an unlucky Affair that happened lately
between the Rev^d M^r Allen & M^r Chew a Vestryman of S^t
James's Parish to which I have now at M^r Allens Request given
him an Induction & he thinks he shall in spite of all opposition
be able to keep possession of both That & This, & seems
determined to try his Title at Law in case either of the Vestries
should contest it, which I am for my part very apprehensive
they will, the Cause being already become a very Popular
One. M^r Allen tells me he is satisfied that both His Ldp &
you were before he left England not only apprized of the
Provisoe in the Act of 1702 against Pluralities, but that you
had well considered it, & were clearly of opinion it could