The pecuniary difficulties of the Government of Edward VI. at this time led it to further acts of spoliation of church property. In the year 1552 commissions were issued ordering perfect inventories to be made of all manner of goods, plate, jewels, and ornaments belonging to any churches, chapels, fraternities, or guilds, together with the names of persons who had been known to have acquired any of the property since the date of former inventories, with a view to their appropriation by the crown. The commissioners appointed for the hundred of West Derby were the Earl of Derby, Sir Thomas Gerard, knight, and Thomas Boteler, Esq.; who visited the church of Wigan with its chapels of ease in October of that year, and when they had formally taken possession of all the church goods, they handed a portion of them back to the minister and churchwardens to be kept on the King's behalf, by virtue of the following indenture:
"Wigan churche cū Holland Chapel & Billynge. This indenture made the iiijth dai of October in the sixt yere of the Reigne of Our Sou'aigne lord Edward the sixt by the grace of God Kinge of England Fraunce and Ireland defendor of the faith and of the churche of England & Ireland in erthe the supreme hedde [1552] Betwene the right honorable Edward Erle of Derby of the honorable order of the garter Knight Thomas Gerrarde Knight & Thomas Boteler esquier comissioners to our Sou'aigne lord the Kyng upon the behalf of his highnes of the one partie and Ser Rauf Scotte prieste Nycholas Lawe & Nyc' Penyngton churche wardons of the parishe churche of Wigan in the hundreth of Westederby in the Countie of Lanc' of the other partie Witnesithe that wher[as] the said comyssioners have delyv'it at the tyme of sealynge & delyv'ie hereof to the said churche wardons & to the said Sr Rauf fawre bells warof xijli as thei alledge is yet unpaid one chalice vij coapes[1] j of grene silke ij of redde silke ij of whit twille & ij of yelowe silke x vestementes[2] of suche like silke & color iiij tynacles[3] thereof ij of
- ↑ Cope; a robe like a long cape or cloak used at solemn vespers, processions, &c.
- ↑ Vestment, or chasuble; originally a circular robe with an aperture at the top for the head; being the special robe prescribed for the celebrant at the Holy Communion in the first Prayer Book of Edward VI.
- ↑ Tunicle; a robe with sleeves and open at the sides, prescribed in the first Prayer Book of Edward VI. for the ministers assisting at the Holy Communion.
