T H E 
 
 MODERATE 
 
 MAN'S 
 
 PROPOSALL 
 
 TO THE 
 
 PARLIAMENT, 
 
 ABOUT' 
 
 TITHES 
 
 IN 
 
 I Behalf of the Magiftrate 5 Mini- 
 j fter, and People* 
 
 L 0$CD0$Q 
 
 Printed by J, W* for Giles Cthert at the 
 ^Bkckfyread-eaple at the Weft cad of 
 
 1 
 
The moderate mads propofaho the Tar* 
 
 liament^&tCo ' ^ 
 
 Avingformerly heard a general out-cryj'Sc of lace 
 many renewed complaints againft Titi.es, and 
 obferyed'iri;che prefenc. -tempers -of men, that 
 much violence is in the fpirits of thofe that are 
 both for,and againft them, which at this feafcn 
 may be as-dangerms as theconteft is'general,few 
 .thingsbe;ng of, fo great.and univcrfil corcern” 
 ment, and niatter of profit - being omb'othfides,makes, : every otic- 
 more eager,. 1 (hall prdurre.to offsria few things for a;general- ac¬ 
 commodation. Some advife.hatthe-Parliamentifor'a feafon, ; dl! 
 things are better fet ! ed,may hy ahde.the debate,. wh ; ch is eounfel 
 moft dangerous, draw; ngupin them the ce. tun difp!eafure } noe 6nly 
 of thoufandsof their fii nd^but. alfonf .thogerieral fpirit of the 
 Nation, for though Iknoyirmanymen.oucof: their care to preferr/e 
 a godly Min.ft.yahd comfortablelniaintfnance, Will'both plead 
 for, and wii| : ngly pay T thes; yet is ; tbeir aumbtrasfew, as is the 
 good,compared with the bad party of the people; for we fie hoV? 
 pleafing profit is.unto'all, and indted.thole that plegd for - them, 
 do it rkther as'ftandir'gfpr a maipteaance : thah juftifyVng the-man£ 
 pet of rayfing ic/ . And it concerns-the Parliamentjas thihgsftkirdf 
 " A a as 
 
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 as much is in them lies to compofc and fat'ufu the ISIatkn, and to 
 
 roakethemfenfibleof theteafc and freedom,which they hire long,^ 
 *ud do now more t!*rt ever expe& trom them. 
 
 Contraries do bcftiiluftrate each other, and when the Parlia- 
 Btentby the complainings of their people, do find wherein tl.cy 
 are grieved; they may know bfift how to apply a remedyjaud there¬ 
 fore t is the greattft Wifdom, with readinels to heare, and with all 
 p flShU' fpeed to redrefs, which wiiluaite and engage the people: 
 afid ieting ehe PafliaJtneni otjt of their tender care to preferve a 
 gOdly MiflifttVyWirh a Comforclble maintenance, have r delved 
 not to take away Tithes till another way can be found out for their 
 lively Wd; ; ind yet to gratifie thofe that complain againft Tithes, 
 have ordered a ffand Committee to eonfider of ano.her majnte-. 
 nance, 1 (hail titer to their confideratioh the fubftancs of what is. 
 laid again ft them,and then a way how toraifean equivalent main¬ 
 tenance, as fure,more juft, and every, way more fuj,table to that 
 reformation we would have; and which will; be in all reipe&s 
 better for the Miniftry, and morepleafing to the godly amongft 
 them; and (landing upon a frner foundation than Tithes. 
 
 Tbf thief ehje&io%i*iai*ifi Tithes *ft madr. 
 
 l. By the Magtftrate,;wh6doth or hath caufe to complain that ; 
 they are trouble feme and vexatious, feeing mpre fuits, ftrife and de- 
 bate is a.boatlhem than any other thii^ in the Nation, which is a, 
 great in jury to the peace of she whole*, 
 
 a. THego^yMiniftercomplami' they; are, troubiefotae to him,, 
 and a great interruption to hisdutyj keeping him from his ftudy, 
 a* I retirement; and cumbering him with cares, fuits, and world y„ 
 
 ' bulinefs. 
 
 The.MtnifletSepeoplecompIaitt they dre a continual occafion 
 #f offmeebetween them, and keeps them in debate and ftrife,and 
 biidersthi^ low and content Which fhould be to one another, and 
 fo becomes a bar to his work, and lenders h s Miniftry unprofitable ’ ’ 
 aBjpngftthem. 
 
 4. The.whde body of the godly Miniftry complains that Tithes, 
 and firftlFruitft and Tenths, are a ftnme to our reformation, and to , 
 the Maerate.that doth not provide a more iuitabifc maintenance, 
 
 ail 
 
*11 the reformed Churches having aft them off, as unbecoming .the- 
 Gofpel. 
 
 5 The body of the people of the Nation,efpecially the Plough¬ 
 man., who ftio.ukl above all others beencrur:g*d, complains chey. 
 aye the,great hinderance of tillage, husbandry, and honeft induflry,. 
 and the caufe. why fo many Moo es, and Wafts, and Commons, 
 are in cb sLand, and lo rrrry Meadows and P .fturrs grown bar¬ 
 ren for wan; of plowing; th: Tuhe being more worth than the 
 Land, r the clear ptofi , tnd the reafon why corn is fo dear,,and 
 this Nation upon every unfenonable fecd-ttme or harveft, forced 
 tofeek bread from other Count eys, when as this Land is fo fit for 
 corn it m ; ght both liipply (.urfeives, andbe as a granary to the 
 Low Coun reys and Nt ghbouring Nttions. 
 
 Many Towns and Parishes complains, that their Tithes be¬ 
 long to Impropr.acors, and only fmall ftipends to the Minifter, and '■ 
 unlfffdvy cm have fomc augmentation from greater Livings* they ,• 
 neither can, tnr ev-r (hall get Minifters, and thus its conceived, a . 
 third parr of the Nation lies* and muft for ever continue without 
 godly preaching Minifters for want of maintenance whi’c others , 
 goes av.ay.50ne with as much as might ferve two or three.-. 
 
 7 .Many who are godly men, thr ugh differing from the Minifte- . 
 fy,ddcqnfcienciouflylcrup : ;c the payment of chem,as being a jewjfta 
 or popifh;miint. nance, and many godly Minifters thcmfelves have 
 left their people,beesufe they could.not receive (them, and moft 
 men know that their bottom and foundation is unfound, and, the 
 very title,fir.ee the Ecclcffift'cal Courts were put down, queftlpna- 
 ble. 
 
 S.The .temporal laws which give. trcbble value where they are not 
 fee out, are To fevere and unbecoming, a Miniftery, who preach up > 
 Equity and righteoufneffe r that the fober and'godly Minifter is 
 tftiamed* that his maintenance {hould ,be forced with fuch pchal- 
 tyes,which though fome of them! cahriot take, yet many doe to the 
 reproach of the whole and r pprefficn of the people. 
 
 p. ; S nffe. the Eccltfiafticall hw and Courts were thrown down, , 
 the title,efpecially about perfonall and fmall tithes is fo uncertain; 
 the tempprall lawes,being very.-deficient, and wayesofiecoyeiy fo > 
 d ffcring.and Courts fo divers; that its hard to know bow or where . 
 lightly to \yj an a&ion about them, and if tithes.be of fmall value, •, 
 " \ A$ the.: 
 
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 ; he trebWe-damageJ (bo cofts being to be bad) will not try the 
 bate. 
 
 It h thtr'tfort proofed. 
 
 That a moderiYevalue msy tie put upon twy mans tithes, as it 
 -M worth communibus amis, and the fame charged on theW, and 
 tithes difchargrd forever: This is but that which the Ordinary, 
 Patron, arid Incumbent might formcr v y have done; as toallfmiil 
 jtthes; compound; fettle a rate, or iModns dcam^di ; and which 
 thePatliament may doe without injury to any mans propriety; 
 arida* to the rightby law, have it (land upon the bottome it had be* 
 fore much ftreng,hened and-confirmed by K8t of Parliament 
 
 .This takes away tithes,which bur.hens the conferences of many, 
 arid fwearing about them,wh ch is alike trouble to fome; It frees the 
 body from prifons,and the Eftate from trebblc damages • It takes 
 away the great caufc of difference between Minifter and people, 
 and cafes the Minifter of much charge and trouble ingathering 
 them; and fees the husbandman at liberty to husband his land as he 
 pleafe. 
 
 And to the endthat the Msgiftrate may be enabled tofupply, 
 as far as is pofliblt, all deftitute places and parities with able Mini- 
 fters,and have wherewith to maintayn them; and .may' alfo have it 
 in his care to turn out thole that are bad; and bring in thofe that 
 are good. 
 
 It is further propofed,; That all rents or rates thus fecled in liew 
 ef tithes,pi*y be brought to oncTreafu y iri cachC unty,to be orde« 
 red and difpfed by Commiflioners, who may alfo have the power, 
 of placing, difplac ng and allotting maintenance to Mn ifters, 
 with inftru&ionj to make allowance propordonable i© the charge 
 of each Minifter j that every one may have a competency, and 
 none a fuperflui’.y • and thus its conceived the great livings will 
 mi ke up the ftnall to be a lively hood. 
 
 Patrons may have their right of prefentation, and thelncum* 
 bent to be allowed a competent maintenance, and the reft togoc to 
 ■otters. ) 
 
 Let the Trealiuer have a moderate allowance to goe out of the 
 whole, and let no Minifter pay a*y thing for fees, but once every 
 
 quarter 
 
(?) 
 
 quarter or halfc year have bis money fer fencing for. 
 
 The Ovcrlecr for the poor in each parifh to coIIcrJUfld gather 
 the rent and pay it to the Trea urer^and if any retu c to pay, let him 
 akea diftreffeas neer ihe v-lueasmay be 8 and feil the fame to the 
 belt advantage; andremm cue overplus, if the party re!ufc Co ac¬ 
 cept it, let it goe in pa-t of payment towards the next. 
 
 If ic be diftked to bring all in-o a Trealuiy,or to take any thidg. 
 fromthedifpolallof the Patron, evety parifh may befeded as they 
 are, only th t [pecks altered; but for many weighty reafons, to© 
 large to be inferted in this fhort paper, the beft way both for Ma- 
 giftratejMinifter and people is to have all come to a Treafury. 
 
 The tithes of Impropriatours to be alfofetled irra rate; and fo* 
 his inheritance is afeertained for ever; and he Bay fell to the pc®-./, 
 pie as he pleafe* 
 
 In Ordtr to the fetting the rate upon tithes. 
 
 Let CommilTionsout.of the Chancery be forthwith iffuedto all ! 
 Countycs in England to elhmarej l’urvey and returft the values ©f, 
 the tithes and glebes of all parifhes in each. County, asd to whom 
 they belong ; which may be done by the Sheriff s and Ju;yes, or 
 Commiflirners; a rate being fet upon the parifivlec the panfhoners 
 choofc as many arbitrators as they pleafe to fubdivide and:apponi« . 
 on the fame amongft them (which they, will like- better tban to 
 have it done by others) 
 
 The furveys being made, and a rate ft t upon every parifivtows, 
 and farm, let a book fairly written be returned into the Chancery, 
 and another to remain in eachCounry with theCleik of thePeace 3 
 that reecurfe may be had thereunto upon every occaficii of differ 
 rence. 
 
 This will continue the whole revenue to thcMiniftry,and efta- 
 blifh it upon a far furcr foundation than now it (lands, ambfree it : 
 from thofe many jutt exceptions to which it is lyahie,° . 
 
 F IJ'QIS.