So sure of their position were they that the prebendaries actually proceeded to lease out their property. Among the others, the prebendary of Willenhall granted his lands and tithes to John Leveson, Esq. (who held several other of the prebendal properties), for a reserved rent of £6 6s.
Although the various deeds were confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of Windsor, the legality of the proceedings was questioned; and presently it was successfully contended that the Deanery of Wolverhampton was a separate benefice detached from
the College of Windsor, and that the prebends were in the hands of the Crown.
There is extant another valuation of these ecclesiastical revenues in the Primate’s Court. The record is in Latin, but it may be Englished thus:—
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Canterbury values Willenhall | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| It Days to the Dean of Wolverhampton (William Leveson, Prebendary of Willenhall.) | 0 | 3 | 3 |
The Prebendary of Willenhall is worth per annum:—
| s. | d. | |
| In Glebeland | 41 | 0 |
| In Corn tithes | 40 | 0 |
| In Wool and Lambs | 46 | 8 |
| In Easter dues | 13 | 10 |
| In Tithes of Fodder, of Hogs, and Geese and other small tithes | 40 | 0 |
| Thence is paid, in every third year, to the Dean, for the Synod | 6 | 8 |
The valuation of Wolverhampton College which is to be regarded as that of the Reformation was made in 1551, and one item in which may be quoted from Oliver’s “History of Wolverhampton Church” (p. 63):—“And for £12 6s. 8d. for the farm of the Prebend of Willnall, with all messuages, tithes, lands, rents, services, and other profits to the said Prebend belonging, demised to John Horton, by Indenture under seal of the said College, dated 4th November, 33 Henry VIII., for the term of 21 years,” &c., &c.
Turning our attention to Willenhall itself, let us see how the Chapel here was affected. The Chantry foundation of this Chapel, like all others, had to go. Chantries being founded by the pious rich to have the souls of their dear departed prayed for, could not be tolerated by the Protestant reformers, and were all rigidly suppressed. Here is the valuation formally taken in the reign of Henry VIII. (1526), as before mentioned:—
Hugh Bromehall, chaplain, hath a house with landspertaining to the same, value per annum | 8 marks | |
| s. | d. |
And prays to be allowed for rents of assize, payable tothe Dean | 3 | 3 |
And for Capitation rents, paid annually to WilliamLeveson, Prebendary of Wylnall |
| 10 |
And so their remains due | 102 | 7 |
The tenth part thereof | 10 | 3 |