That your Petitioner is no less by inclination
than by duty sincerely attached to the Pro-
testant Church of England and Ireland, as by
law established in these realms, and, therefore,
views with pain and regret the excited state of
the diocese of Exeter, in consequence of several
of the parochial ministers attempting a strict
compliance with the rubrics contained in the
Book of Common Prayer, to the observance of
which their attention has been specially called
by the high authority of their bishop.

That your Petitioner and his clerical brethren

are bound, not only by their ordination vows

and by canon, under penalty of having ecclesi-

astical censure, to reverently obey their Ordi-

nary in all things lawful and honest, but are also

liable to be indicted at the assizes, held before

my Lady the Queen's justices, in the county

where the offence is committed, by any layman

or other person whatsoever for not complying

with the rubrics in the Book of Common

Prayer, in every particular, even to the minutest

point, under the Statutes of 2 and 3 Edward

VI., c. 1, and 1 Elizabeth, c. 2; and if con-

victed thereof by verdict of twelve men, ac-

cording to the laws of this realm, or according

to their own confession, or by the notorious

evidence of the fact, will have to suffer heavy

fine and imprisonment, and for the third

offence deprivation of all ecclesiastical pro-

motion, and imprisonment for life; and the

archbishops and bishops are equally liable to

the same indictments and penalties as their

clergy.

That your

Petitioner is, and always has been,

very desirous to perform his clerical ministra-
tions in such manner and form as the rubrics
require and custom has sanctioned, but, in the
present very excited state of the diocese of
Exeter, and in consequence of three pastoral
letters of the bishop of that see, as it appears
to your Petitioner of very uncertain and dif-
ferent import, your Petitioner is at a loss how
to act with safety to himself and satisfaction to
his parishioners in his official ministry; and
that, moreover, it appears to your Petitioner
that the difficulty can only be gotten rid of by
legislative enactments, as under the existing
laws neither the archbishops nor bishops indi-
vidually or collectively can alter or dispense
with a single provision contained in the ru-
brics.

That, in the opinion of your Petitioner, the Church of

Book of Common Prayer and its rubrics are arranging

England (for

nearly in a state similar to that on the return Differences).
of King Charles the Second to this kingdom,
when, being found defective and unsuited to
the times, a royal letter was addressed to con-
vocation commanding a review of the Book of
Common Prayer, when the convocation in-
trusted the business to a committee, who made
alterations and additions which were sub-
mitted to and approved by Parliament, and
confirmed by 13 and 14 Charles II., c. 4.

Your Petitioner also, with all due deference,

ventures to remark that Parliament has, with-

out the consent of convocation, altered a ru-

bric, namely, as to the publication of banns

of marriage, by passing the 26 George II.,

c. 33.

Your Petitioner, therefore, humbly prays

your honourable House to take the subject

into your gracious and serious consideration,

to cause the Statutes of 2 and 3 Edward VI.,

c. 1, and 1 Elizabeth, c. 2, to be repealed, and

to adopt such measures as to your wisdom may

seem fit to procure a calm, moderate, and tem-

perate review of the Book of Common Prayer,

rubrics, and canons of the United Church of

England and Ireland, as may have the effect of

settling those differences of opinion and prac-

tice which now exist among those who have

all subscribed before their respective bishops,

and published to their parochial congregations,

the declaration that they will conform to the

liturgy of the United Church of England and

Ireland, as by law established.

And your Petitioner, as in duty bound, will

ever pray.

WM. CARWITHEN, D.D., Rector of Stoke

Clymesland, alias Climsland, in the county

of Cornwall and diocese of Exeter.