Thanks to Dr Wilson for having added to the clergy widows'fund, 15 March 1773

[283] To the reverend Thomas Wilson, D. D., prebendary of Westminster.

Reverend sir, We the archdeacon and clergy of the isle and diocese of Man this day assembled beg leave to return our most grateful thanks and sincere acknowledgments for that fresh token of your benevolent regard and esteem for this your native country, signified to us in your letter of 1 Oth January last to the reverend vicar-general Wilks, of adding 200 pounds more to the fund already established, chiefly by your most worthy father and yourself, towards the support of the poor clergymen's widows and orphans of this diocese, a fund though not very extensive in itself, yet has been the means of alleviating that extremity of distress they otherwise would have been unavoidably exposed to.

With you, sir, we are unanimously of opinion that the vesting the whole of this fund in the purchase of a landed estate within this island would, for many obvious reasons, be more eligible than suffering it to remain in any of the public funds, which are often of a fluctuating nature and beyond our comprehension. We have severally in our respective parishes made a strict inquiry for a proper purchase, and as yet are not able to find any we would recommend, and we shall continue to give every aid in our power to this desirable work. But should it so happen that a landed estate cannot be obtained, we would as the next most desirable purchase recommend some portion of the impropriate tithes, if approved of by you and by council learned in the law, as to the sufficiency of the title, hoping their graces of Atholl may be tender in their terms, as [284] such purchase is meant for a charitable purpose.

As to the fixing proper trustees and the qualifications of the recipients, we beg leave to refer those points to your own prudent consideration, who are already so well acquainted with the nature of this fund.