nery, prebends, and manor of Wolverhampton to Sir Walter
Leveson, and all the lands belonging thereto in various parts of
Staffordshire and Worcestershire, including those at Willenhall,
Wednesfield, Bentley, &c., with all the mines of sea coal, ironstone,
&c., on the said premises, but specially excepting the patronage and
gifts of prebends, canonship, and all their offices and ecclesiastical
jurisdiction; all at an annual reserved rent of 38 pounds, and the quaint
old-world tenure of having "to entertain the Dean and his retinue two
days and three nights in each year."

The validity of these leases was questioned a few years later in the 13th
year of James I., the lessee having refused to pay the reserved rents
without considerable deductions; and a bill was filed in Chancery by
Joseph Hall, D.D., prebendary of Willenhall, and Christopher Cragg,
prebendary of Hatherton (probably on the advice of the newly installed
Dean, Dr. Anthony Maxey), against the aforesaid, Sir Walter Leveson, who
was then in possession of the property belonging to their two prebends,
as well as other possessions belonging to the College of Wolverhampton.

Although the case was decided against Sir Walter Leveson, the
prebendaries reaped little or no benefit; for Sir Walter died immediately
after, leaving his heir a minor, and a ward of the King. During the
wardship the King attempted to settle the questions and controversies
which had arisen when he made the appointment of a new Dean.

It must be borne in mind that the Deans of Wolverhampton were also Deans
of Windsor; and Dr. Maxey dying about 1618, there followed a somewhat
quick succession of Deans. These were Matthew Wren (1628), protege of
Laud, and successively Bishop of Hereford, of Norwich, and of Ely;
Christopher Wren, his brother (1634), father of the famous architect of
the same name; Dr. Bruno Ryes (1660); and Dr. Brideoak, who became Bishop
of Chichester in 1675.

The wardship of young Leveson lasted 16 years, and when he came of age
the prebendaries were glad to come to a composition with him.

By this composition he agreed to pay them 30 pounds per annum each, in
full satisfaction of the several tithes and other profits belonging in
right to their respective prebends; this being over and above the said
reserved rents which had been previously paid. Arrangements were made at
the same time with the rest of the prebendaries respecting the several
proportions of the tithe belon