6. In modern times the provision of parsonage houses and of other necessary buildings on glebe lands, and the repairs of chancels liable to be repaired by rectors, have been facilitated by special legislation. In 1777 and 1781 the Gilbert Acts were passed,[346] which, as amended by Acts of 1826 and 1838,[347] enabled an incumbent, with the consent of the bishop and patron, or, during a vacancy in the living, the bishop, to borrow money for the purpose of providing a parsonage house, or rebuilding it in case of its having become ruinous, upon the security of a mortgage of the income of the benefice for thirty-five years. The loan was not to exceed the amount of the gross net income of the benefice, and was to be repayable with interest by thirty yearly instalments. The Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty were empowered to lend money for the purposes of the Acts; and, in practice, the loans are generally obtained from them. A later statute[348] extended these provisions to the purchase of land convenient to be used with the parsonage house or existing glebe land, and to the repair of the chancel in cases where it is repairable by the incumbent, and to the building or improving of farm houses or buildings or labourers' dwelling-houses on the glebe land; and subsequent Acts have extended the time for repayment of the loans.[349] Another series of enactments has specially sanctioned gifts and bequests for providing parsonage houses and glebe;[350] and under a third series incumbents are empowered to sell the parsonage houses and glebe lands of benefices, or exchange them for others of greater value or more conveniently situated, and to acquire new parsonage houses and additional glebe lands.[351] 7. When an incumbent has a licence from the bishop to reside elsewhere than in the parsonage house, he may let the house, subject to an obligation on the part of the tenant to give up possession on the bishop ordering the incumbent to resume residence therein.[352] 8. An incumbent may either himself farm his glebe (see Ch. 1. § 16 above) or let it to tenants. The tenants, however, will have no rights against his successors unless the leases to them are made in accordance with the statutory provisions for the purpose. These provisions enable an incumbent, subject to certain restrictions and with the consent of the bishop and patron, to let the glebe on farming leases for fourteen years or, in some cases, for twenty years,[353] and under special conditions to grant leases of it for longer periods for building and mining purposes.[354] 9. An incumbent, as having an interest in the parsonage house and other buildings of the benefice only during his incumbency, was always bound to keep them in repair for the benefit of his successors.[355] His exact liability in this respect and also in respect of insuring against fire is now regulated by the Ecclesiastical Dilapidations Act, 1871.[356]