From Manx Soc vol IV,VII & IX

 Letter of William Sacheverell to the Archbishop of Canterbury.*

A.D. 1693.

BIBLIOTHECA LAMBETHANA
CODICES MANUSCRIPTI GIBSONIANI.

MAY it please your Grace.—The charge with which the Earl of Derby has entrusted me in the government of his Isle of Man, forces me to lay before your Grace, the necessity the poor church of that place labors under, not only in the want of a Bishop, by the decease of the late reverend Dr. De Levinz, but at my coming over, I found the ancient cathedral down, Several churches ruinous, to the repairing whereof the earl of Derby has kept the bishopric vacant for near three years ; and though the churches are already repaired, yet the necessity of a chapel in Castletown, will force his lordship to continue the vacancy at Killcrast⁺ till easter next, and yet even that will fall infinitely short of the real and pressing necessities of the clergy of that place. For as the finishing of the designs of Dr. Barrow, late bishop of St. Asaph, would be of great use, not only in building a library (towards which work there are two hundred pounds in the hands of the executors), but some convenient lodgings for the academic youths, who are forced to diet in Public Houses in the town, which is very inconvenient ; but were these our only misfortunes, they ought to be borne without complaint, but the poor clergy here so absolutely depend on his Majesty’s benefaction of £100 a year, which has for more than two years been unpaid, so that the greatest part are fallen into poverty and debt, and three churches are already vacant, the pensions (which are but three pounds per annum) being so small ; and what more encreases our misfortunes, three of the hopefullest of our young men, that ever the island bred, have deserted us, for fear they should be imposed on theÌn. I know I need no other argument to so great a patron of the church than to open the misery of our condition, and that your Grace would at least be pleased to retrieve his Majesty’s benefaction, and by the charity of the church of England a means could be found to raise a 1000 pounds, it would add some tolerable endowments to these three poor livings, furnish bishop Barrow’s designed library, and build some convenient Academic lodgings, and put us out of condition of making our miseries further troublesome. I hope I need no excuse for my importunity (though a stranger) which proceeds only from a sense of my duty, and on my knees I beg your Grace’s benediction, and that you would at least grant your pardon, if not encouragement to,

May it please your Grace,

your Grace’s most dutiful, most humble and obedient Servant,

Wm. Sacheverell

Oxon, Sept. 1, (sine anno.)

* Vide "Sacheverell" by the Rev. J. G. Cumming.
+ Kirk Christ Lezayre.