The said Nicholas Towneley, the younger, was the late rector's nephew, being the son and heir apparent of Richard Towneley (of Royle, in the county of Lancaster, jure uxoris), and a reader and Bencher of Gray's Inn.
Two years later, in 28 Hen. VIII. is a bill of complaint of (the same) Nicholas Towneley now described as of Gray's Inn. The bill recites that one Nicholas Towneley, clerk, late parson of Wigan, died at Hampton Court 20th November, 23 Hen. VIII.[1] (1531), and that the first mentioned Nicholas was administrator of his goods and chattells, and of matters in controversy between the said Nicholas (deceased) and Sir Thomas Langton, knight, for sundry and divers riots; that whereas the said Sir Thomas hath wrongfully taken from him (complainant) some corn and hay remaining at the parsonage of Wigan, which amounted to the sum of £24 as well as £50 rent due to the said Nicholas (deceased) remaining in the hands of divers gentlemen within the parish of Wigan for their tithes; that the complainant and defendant had submitted themselves, on 16th December, 26 Hen. VIII. (1534), to the judgment of Robert Wroith, King's attorney, who judged that the said Sir Thomas should pay to the said Nicholas, in full satisfaction of all suits, the sum of £40 to be paid by instalments; but that after the death of the said attorney the said Sir Thomas refused to make any further payment; and the said Nicholas (complainant) desires that he may be compelled to pay the same, as well as £100, in which sum Sir Thomas bound himself to pay the amount awarded by the said attorney to the said Nicholas.[2]
- ↑ This date is erroneous. In a former bill of complaint the date of Nicholas Towneley's death is given as on or about the 10th of November, 24 Hen VIII. (1532), and this is evidently the right year of his death, because he was appointed to a prebend in York Minster on 29th December, 1531.
- ↑ Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings, 28 Hen. VIII. vol viii. T. No. 2. In a second bill (of the same date) the same Nicholas Towneley shows that one Edward Molyneux, clerk, deceased, late parson of Sefton, in the county of Lancaster, was indebted to Nicholas Towneley, clerk, parson of Wigan, deceased, to the amount of £13 6s. 8d., also of £4 the arrears of an annuity which the said Edward granted to the said complainant On the death of the said Molyneux, Richard Smyth, clerk, parson of Bury, was appointed administrator to the goods of the said Molyneux, which were worth about 1000 marks; but when the debts were submitted the said Smyth declared the goods to be insufficient to pay them; this was found to be the case, but a certain portion of each debt was to be paid, and notwithstanding repeated promises on the part of the said Richard, the money owing to the said Nicholas still remains unpaid.
