An Address to Protestant Dissenters,: on the Origin and Influence of the Regium Donum

An Address To Protestant Dissenters,: On The Origin And Influence Of The Regium Donum by Henry Mayo traces the origin and consequences of the Regium Donum, a royal bounty to dissenting ministers. Drawing on material primarily from the London Magazine of 1774, the work shows that in 1723 Protestant dissenting ministers began to receive state pensions, through the intervention of Sir Robert Walpole, who used funds to secure support from the dissenting clergy. The system evolved into annual payments paid via royal almoners, later expanded to substantial sums, and distributed with little accountability. Mayo argues that these funds corrupt the independence and liberties of Protestants by making ministers depend on the treasury and by influencing elections and church governance. The pamphlet recounts failed efforts to repeal the Corporation and Test Acts and details the ethical concerns raised by ministers who opposed the Donum. An Appendix collects letters from the public debating the Donum and urges opposition to any arrangement that compromises civil and religious liberty. The work remains a pointed critique of state patronage in church affairs.