The following is a fragment of a letter by John M. Kemble, an Anglo-Saxon philologist and historian in the nineteenth century:
I have no idea when it was written or who the addressee was; nor is it clear exactly what he writes about here but he writes that he has some startling facts to be added to the second edition of his book if it is published. The 'facts' seem to have something to do with the liabilities of the clergy to repair something out of their own revenues. Could the book mentioned be his The Saxons in England, in the second volume of which there is a chapter entitled 'the income of the clergy' (pp. 467-96)?
The following is a transcription of the letter:
I hope my 'Remarks' are doing good: The great object is to circulate them extensively, for the tract to which they are put forward as an answer has been spread abroad with profusion. If I can get into a second Edition I will add some matter upon the liabilities of the Clergy to repair &c out of their own revenues, that will rather astound the Bishops. I left a great deal out, from being in a great hurry & wishing to economise space; but I have a few very startling facts, proving the case into & beyond the 13th century.
I am dear Sir
Yours very faithfully
John M. Kemble
John M. Kemble (1807-1857) is an Anglo-Saxon philologist and historian, and published The Anglo-Saxon Poem of Beowulf: The Travellers Song and the Battle of Finnesburh (London: William Pickering, 1833); Codex Diplomaticus Aevi Saxonici, 6 vols. (London: Sumptibus Societatis, 1839-48); The Dialogue of Solomon and Saturnus with an Historical Introduction (London: Ælfric Society, 1848); The Saxons in England: A History of the English COmmonwealth till the Period of the Norman Conquest, 2 vols. (London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, 1849), etc. For more information about his edition of Beowulf, see this page.