parson Maunsell's charter of freedom, by a charter of inspeximus dated at Wigan on 10th October, 3 Eliz., 1561;[1] and from a subsequent lawsuit, held in parson Fleetwood's time, it would seem that Stanley troubled himself no more about the matter, but suffered the Mayor and burgesses to do as they pleased.
In 5 Eliz., 1562-3, there was a lawsuit between Sir Thomas Langton and Sir Thomas Gerrard, knights, concerning the tithes of corn and grain in the township of Pemberton, which Langton claimed as the purchaser of a lease granted by Thomas Stanley, dated 22nd March, 1 Eliz., 1559, to Edmund Burscough and William Straitbarell for a term of years yet enduring, they paying a yearly sum for the same. He asserted that he had entered into the premises by virtue of an assignment of their lease made to him on 22nd April, 1559, and was possessed thereof until he was ejected by Gerrard. Gerrard apparently claimed under Kyghley's lease to Ketchyn and under some arrangement alleged to have been made with parson Gerrard, that he (Thomas Gerrard) should have these tithes in recompence for the tithes of Billinge, of which he had been dispossessed. Langton thereupon pleaded Smyth's re-entry; which Gerrard denied, and said that long before the time of the alleged re-entry into the parsonage, Smyth had entered into a messuage or tenement in Wigan then or late in the tenure of William Hyde, and divers other messuages, parcel of the manor of Wigan, and had wrongfully kept possession of the same during the time that the said rent was accruing, on account of which he is said to have made his re-entry, so that he had forfeited the right to take advantage of the clause under which he re-entered.[2]
In the same year, 5 Eliz., Thomas "bishop of Sodor and parson of Wigan" lays a complaint in the Duchy Court against William Orrell of Orrell, gentleman. His statement is that the said William Orrell, having gathered unto him about 40 persons, during harvest time and divers other times before and after, had
