Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 1.djvu/51

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History of the Church and Manor of Wigan.
39

Banastre, Lord of Newton. She was given in marriage to John de Langton (brother of the Chancellor John de Langton, and son of Robert de Langton, of West Langton, in the county of Leicester), to whom, in 1301, the King granted a weekly market and two annual fairs at his manor of Newton in Makerfield.[1]

In 32 Edw. L (1303-4) a fine was levied of the manors of Walton-in-le-Dale, Newton, and Lauton (Lowton), and the advowson of the Church of Wigan, between John Langton and his wife and John Langton, clerk.[2] But the right of presentation to Wigan Church at this period appears to have been disputed by William de Standish, though he was unable to substantiate his claim. The pleadings in the suit, held in Michaelmas term, 31 Edw. I. (1303), are thus recorded in the year book of King Edward I.[3]

Sheweth unto you William, the son of Jordan de Standish, by his attorney, &c., that John, the clerk de Langetone, , &c., tortiously deforces him of the advowson of the chapel of Wygan, and tortiously for this, that it is his right and heritage, and whereof one of his ancestors, named Ralph, was seized as of fee and of right, in time of peace, in the time of King Richard, cousin of our Lord the King that now is, whom God preserve, who in his lifetime presented his own clerk, Ulf by name, who on his presentation was received and instituted, &c., in the same time, which clerk took the esplees, such as great tithes, small tithes, oblations, obventions, and other kinds of issues of the chapel, amounting to half a mark and more, as in right of the aforesaid chapel; from Ralph the right descended, and ought to descend, to one Richard as son and heir; from Richard, because he died without heir of his body, to Alexander as brother and heir; from Alexander to Ralph as son and heir;

  1. Chetham Society Publications, vol. xcix. p. 96. By this marriage the advowson of the Church of Wigan passed to the Langtons.
  2. Lancashire and Cheshire Records vol. 8 p. 326. It was not in those days very unusual for two brothers to have the same Christian name.
  3. Rolls Edition, p. 338.