ess customary in Stowheath. It seems
conclusive that the King did not take these lands into his own hands,
whereby matters would have been reduced to the absurdity of the lord
paramount being called upon to do homage to his own tenant.

The suggestion is offered by Mr. Rollason that the tenure of the lands
was not precisely a lay one, but partook of a spiritual nature--was, in
fact, not feudal, but what was known as a tenure in frankalmoign or free
alms.

The Memorandum commences with a recital as follows:--

Whereas by a Commission awarded upon a Statute of 43 Elizabeth
concerning Lands given to Charitable Uses upon the executinge of wch
Comission the Inhabitants and Men of Willenhall in the County of
Stafford have made profe that certaine Copyhold Lands in the Towne of
Willenhall holden by Coppie of Court Roll of the Manor of Stowheath
were formerly Surrendered by certain Feoffees or Stateberers Uppon
Trust and confidence that the yearly Pfitts thereof should be
imployed for the hyer stipend and wages of a Preist Minister or
Curate to say Divine Service in the Chappell of Willenhall from tyme
to tyme for ever for the Ease of the Inhabitants there dwelling being
two Myles distant from Wolverhampton their Prshe Church and towards
the repairinge of the said Chappell and the said yearly pfitts
thereof were soe used and imployed for many yeares togeather uppon
consideracon of wch said cause and uppon longe debate thereof before
divse Comissioners in psence of Councell of both ptes ambiguity and
doubtings arisinge whether the said Copyhold Lands were originally
given to the maintenance of a Chantery Preist or otherwise to the
maintenance of a Curate of Preist to say Divine Service in the
Chappell aforesaid The said Inhabitants are contented to refer
themselves therein to the consideracon of Sir John Leveson Knt and
John Giffard Esquire Lords of the Mannor of Stowheath within wch
Mannor the said Towne of Willenhall lyeth and is pcel wch usadge and
imploymt of the saide rents and pfitts of the said Lands the said Sr
John Leveson and Jhn Giffard Esqre well accepting of are willing to
give furtherance to soe good and charitable an occon And the rather
for that their Ancestors have formerly given allowance out of the
same Lands for the same purpose And therefore doe for them and their
heirs consent and agree that th