specifically appropriated for the benefit of the military knights on the upper or royal foundation of the Castle at Windsor, and to the augmentation of the endowment of the vicarage of the royal borough of Windsor, and the perpetual curacy of the district church of the Holy Trinity in Windsor.

The commissioners have continued to effect enfranchisements of estates vested in them, on the principles stated in their twelfth report, and the instances continue extremely few in which the price required by the commissioners has been the subject of prolonged discussion and of ultimate refusal.

A

In pursuance of the provisions of the Act 17 and 18 Vict., c. 116, a schedule is annexed of all sales of reversions and purchases of leasehold interests effected during the year preceding the 1st of November last, and also of all cases of refusal, with the special reasons for the same. schedule of the cases in which local claims on estates which have been enfranchised are created by the Acts 3 and 4 Vict. c. 113, and 17 and 18 Vict. c. 116, in compliance with the directions of the secondly-mentioned Act, is annexed to this report. The same schedule shows the period at which it was estimated that the previously subsisting lease or grant, under which such estates were held, would in each case have expired.

Assignments of the patronage of certain benefices have also been effected under the provisions of the Acts 3 and 4 Vict. c. 113, 4 and 5 Vict. c. 39, and 6 and 7 Vict. c. 37, in consideration of the augmentation of the incomes of such benefices. Certain benefices have also been augmented out of the incomes of other benefices, in accordance with the provisions of the Acts 3 and 4 Vict. c. 113, 4 and 5 Vict. c. 39, and 17 and 18 Vict. c. 84.

The commissioners have during the past year made temporary grants to certain benefices within the parish of Manchester, under the provisions of "The Parish of Manchester Division Act, 1850."

The commissioners have in the past year taken steps to ascertain the annual amount immediately required to meet the claims of places where property is now actually in possession, and are continuously dealing with such claims.

Local claims which prior to the Act of 1860 attached only to tithe, or land allotted in lieu of tithe, were by that Act extended to the whole of the estates vested in the commissioners (not purchased by them), to the proceeds of all the transactions under the Church Estates Act of 1851, and practically to all the estates of bishops and chapters; consequently, the fund capable of appropriation to the general claims for the relief of spiritual destitution is restricted to that portion of the property vested in the commissioners which may remain after local claims as so extended shall have been satisfied. The commissioners have, however, come to the conclusion that they may for the present year appropriate the sum of 100,000l. for general distribution, according to the rules adopted by the board for such purpose; and at the same time may increase the permanent charge on the common fund to the extent of 20,000l. per annum, in discharge of a portion of the local claims which, under the practice of the board hitherto, would not be dealt with until the expiration of the leases under which the property was held. They have decided that such claims shall be considered in the order in which they have accrued by the vesting of the estates in the commission, and only where the present interest of the commissioners in the estate shall be sufficient to raise the income to the full amount of augmen

tation to which the living may be entitled under the regulations which the commissioners may see fit to make.

The number of benefices permanently augmented by the commissioners, exclusive of new districts, mentioned below, amounted on the 1st November last to 1100, and the grants made by the commissioners in respect of those benefices exceed the sum of 61,300ľ. per annum.

Under "The New Parishes Acts" five districts have been constituted since the last report. In these cases the endowments have been provided either from private sources or out of the revenues of the mother church, or by the commissioners in consideration of local claims upon property vested in them, and situate or arising within the parish from which the districts so endowed were respectively taken.

The number of districts constituted by the commissioners under "The New Parishes Acts" up to the 1st November last, amounted to 288, and their aggregate population to 922,692; and of those districts, 258 have been already provided with churches and have become "new parishes" under the 15th section of the Act 6 & 7 Vict. c. 37, and the incumbents thereof respectively entitled to an annual income of not less than 150l. per annum, besides the surplice fees and dues arising within their several parishes. The annual payment by the commissioners in respect of such districts and new parishes now exceeds 37,640l., and is subject to further increase from time to time as new churches are consecrated.

The total number, therefore, of benefices and districts augmented and endowed by the commissioners amounts to 1388, and the total permanent charge upon the "common fund," inclusive of grants in respect of benefactions paid to them, exceeds the sum of 98,900l. per annum. In addition to these charges upon the "common fund," the commissioners have annexed, in certain cases, land and tithe rent-charge, the value of which may be estimated at 9600l. per annum. The common fund is further charged with 18,000l. per annum, payable to the Governors of Queen Anne's bounty under arrangements made in the year 1843, which enabled the commissioners to make immediate provision for additional cures, and which are fully set forth in their sixth general report.

Orders under the 11th section of the Act 19 and 20 Vict. c. 104., authorizing the performance, in fourteen churches or chapels to which districts belong, of the offices contemplated by that section, have been issued by the commissioners during the same period. Under "The Church Building Acts" the following arrangements have been made by the commissioners, during the past year, viz. :-Sixty-three districts have been constituted or assigned under the designation of either, 1. district chapelries, 2. consolidated chapelries, 3. particular districts, 4. district under "The Parish of Manchester Division Act, 1850." Declarations of the patronage of six churches have been also issued. In six cases a new church has been substituted for the existing parish church. Scales of pew rents have been fixed for six churches. One hundred and sixty-two conveyances of sites for churches, burial-grounds, and parsonage-houses respectively have been accepted.

The balance-sheet of the commissioners for the year ended 31st October, 1861, showed on the debit side

To common fund account:-Balances at credit thereof, viz.-balance of consolidated 31. per cent. annuities, 156,8571. 168. 9d.; balance of reduced 3 per cent. annuities, 264,617. 10s. 6d.; balance of new 31. per cent.

annuities, 4,4737. 13s. 4d.; balance of exchequer bills, 3100l.; balance, exclusive of Government securities, cash, 685,661. 158. 6d. To bishoprick and chapter commuted estates accounts (land, &c., sales and purchases):— Balances at credit thereof, viz.-balances of consolidated 31. per cent. annuities, 28,8771. 38. 1d.; balances of new 31. per cent. annuities, 359. 178. 3d.; balances, exclusive of Government securities, cash, 326,587. 11s. 10d. To benefaction accounts: Balances at credit thereof, viz.,-balances of consolidated 31. per cent. annuities, 1,500%; balances, exclusive of Government securities, cash, 76,915l. Os. 10d. To Gally Knight fund:-Balance at credit thereof, cash, 18,167 l. 98. 2d. To Maltby Fund;-Balance at credit thereof, viz.-balance of exchequer bills, 11,000l.; balance, exclusive of Government securities, cash, 461l. 3s. 9d. To trust and special accounts :-Balances at credit thereof, viz.-balances of consolidated 31. per cent. annuities, 57,875l. 15s. Ild.; balances of reduced 37. per cent. annuities, 30,7671. 5s.; balances of new 31. per. cent. annuities, 39077. 188. 8d.; balances of exchequer bills, 62001; balances, exclusive of Government securities, cash, 64,1627. 178. 9d.: Government securities, total, 569,5371. Os. 6d. ; cash, 1,171,955. 188. 10d.

And, on the credit side:-By Government securities, viz. :-Consolidated 31. per cent. annuities, 245,110l. 15s. 9d.; reduced 31. per cent. annuities, 295,3841. 15s. 6d. ; new 3l. per cent. annuities, 8,741l. 98. 3d.; exchequer bills, 20,300l. By cash at the Bank of England, 22,248l. 188. 1d.; by mortgages, 42,0331.; by episcopal and capitular leaseholds account-balance at debit thereof, 255,150l. 78. 7d.; by land, &c., sale and purchase account— balance at debit thereof, 336,706l. 148.; by bishoprick and chapter commuted estates accounts (land, &c., sales and purchases)-balances at debit thereof, 178,2091. Os. 9d.; by bishoprick and chapter commuted estates accounts (exclusive of sales and purchases)-balances at debit thereof, 328,5791. 118. 9d.; by trust and special accounts, balances at debit thereof, 6941. 78. 4d.; by rental, &c., of estates account-balance at debit thereof, 8,3331. 198. 4d. Total, Government securities, 569,537. Os. 6d. ; cash, 1,171,9557. 18s. 10d.

BILLS WHICH HAVE NOT PASSED INTO LAW.

ASSENT TO USE OF PRAYER BOOK.

A Bill intituled an Act to amend the Law respecting the Declaration of Assent to the Use of the Book of Common Prayer required of Ministers and others of the United Church of England and Ireland. (Lord Ebury.) 6th February, 1862. (1.)

WHEREAS under the Act of Uniformity, it is required of every person put into any ecclesiastical benefice, that in the place of public worship belonging thereto, within a certain time, he shall publicly read the morning and evening prayers appointed to be read by the Book of Common Prayer, and after such reading, shall publicly before the congregation there assembled, declare his unfeigned assent and consent to the use of all things therein

contained and prescribed, according to the form in the said Act appointed : And whereas under the same Act it is required of every governor or head of certain colleges or halls, that he shall, within a time and in a place, and in the presence of persons therein mentioned, publicly subscribe unto the said book, and declare his unfeigned assent and consent unto and approbation of the same, and to the use of all the prayers, rites and ceremonies, forms and orders, therein prescribed and contained, according to the form aforesaid; And whereas, under the same Act, it is required of every person licensed, assigned, appointed, or received as a lecturer to preach as therein mentioned, that the first time he preacheth (before his sermon) he shall publicly read the common prayers and service in and by the said book appointed to be read for that time of the day, and then and there publicly declare his assent unto and approbation of the said book and to the use of all the said prayers, rites and ceremonies, forms and orders, according to the form aforesaid; and also that, at such other time and in such manner as therein mentioned, he shall publicly declare his unfeigned assent and consent unto and approbation of the said book, and to the use of all the said prayers, rites and ceremonies, forms and orders, according to the form aforesaid: And whereas it is expedient that any person, so desiring, should be at liberty to declare his approbation of, and assent to, the use of the Book of Common Prayer, and, if in holy orders, to undertake for the exclusive use thereof by himself in public worship, without adopting the particular form of declaration appointed in the said Act. Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1. It shall be lawful for every person required under the said Act to make a declaration in manner aforesaid, to do so, either according to the form aforesaid, or according to the following form, as he may think fit: "I A.B. do declare that the Book of Common Prayer [stating the full title of the book] may be lawfully used as such; [adding, if he be in holy orders,] and that I will myself in public prayers and in administration of the sacraments, use the form in the said book prescribed, and no other."

2. And whereas it is expedient that any person willing to make a declaration in the form herein-before set forth should not incur the danger of being refused ordination, admission to any ecclesiastical living, or permission to execute in any place, any ecclesiastical function, on account only of his being unwilling to subscribe any article relating to the Book of Common prayer, the subscription whereof is not required of him by Act of Parliament. Be it therefore enacted as follows:-If any person who shall be required otherwise than by virtue of the Act of Uniformity to subscribe any article relating to the Book of Common Prayer shall desire, in lieu of such subscription, to make a declaration in the form herein-before set forth, he shall be at libery to so do; and in case he shall offer so to do, it shall not be lawful for any person, by virtue or under colour of any authority whatsoever, to prevent him from exercising such liberty, or to refuse him ordination as deacon or priest, or admission to any ecclesiastical living, or permission to execute in any place any ecclesiastical function, on account only of his being unwilling to subscribe such article.

3. Nothing herein contained shall be taken to give any person any authority to require subscription to any article relating to the Book of

Common Prayer further or otherwise than he would by law have had if this Act had not been passed.

4. In this Act the term "the Act of Uniformity" shall mean,-As To ENGLAND, the Act of the fourteenth year of King Charles II. (chap. 4), intitutled" an Act for the uniformity of public Prayers and administration of sacraments and other rites and ceremonies, and for establishing the form of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and deacons in the Church of England."-AS TO IRELAND, the Act of the Parliament of Ireland passed in the session of the seventeenth and eighteenth years of King Charles II. (chap. 6), intituled, "an Act for the uniformity of public Prayers and administration of Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies, and for establishing the form of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and deacons in the Church of Ireland."

AS TO

And the term "The Book of Common Prayer" shall mean,-As ro ENGLAND, the book annexed to the first-mentioned Act, and intituled, "The Book of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church, according to the use of the Church of England, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches, and the form or manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating of bishops, priests, and deacons." IRELAND, the book annexed to the secondly mentioned Act, and intituled, "The Book of Common Prayer and administration of the Sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the Church according to the use of the Church of Ireland, together with the Psalter or Psalms of David, pointed as they are to be sung or said in Churches, and the form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating of bishops, priests, and deacons."

ACTS OF UNIFORMITY AMENDMENT.

A Bill intituled an Act to amend the Acts of Uniformity. (Lord Ebury.) 15th May, 1862 (74.)

WHEREAS under the Acts of Uniformity made in England and Ireland respectively (14 Car. II., c. 4., and 17 and 18 Gar. II., c. 6), any person put into any ecclesiastical benefice, and other persons therein described, are required each to make the following declaration :-"I A.B. do declare my unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing contained and prescribed in and by the book intituled the Book of Common Prayer; " (the full title of that book being therein set forth). And whereas under the same Acts every person in holy orders, being the incumbent of any ecclesiastical promotion or curate's place, is also required at or before his admission to be incumbent, to subscribe before the archbishop, bishop, or ordinary the following declaration:-"I A.B. do declare that I will conform to the liturgy of the United Church of England and Ireland, as it is now by law established," and every parson, vicar or curate is further required to procure a certificate under the hand and seal of the archbishop, bishop, or ordinary, and to publicly read the same, together with the last-mentioned declaration, in his parish church where he is to officiate, in the presence of the congregation; and the other persons therein described are also required to subscribe the same declaration. And whereas it is not expedient