pence. In witness whereof both of us have subscribed, Jo. Cestr. John Bullock."[1]
In the summer of 1635 the bishop took measures for restraining the inhabitants of Wigan from getting coal from under the parson's wastes, as appears by the following entry in the Wigan Leger: "Whereas I am given to understand that divers inhabitants within the Town and Burrow of Wigan have presumed to dig for coles under the wasts and streets thereof, I doe now forbid all & every of the inhabitants of the sd Town and mannor to dig for coles or to make any soughes under any of the streets, or any pt of the Wast, within that Town and mannor, as they will answer it at their perills. Dated at Lever, 17 Sep., 1635. This prohibition I sent by Mr. Wm. Brown, gent., to the curate of Wigan, to be published by him in the church on Sunday next. Jo. Cestrien. Witness hereof—Will. Browne."
In this year he let to Mr. Charles Knot, curate of Wigan, the tithes, glebes, Easter dutyes, rents, mortuaryes, and all other profits and commodities of the parsonage of Wigan from Midsummer 1635 to Midsummer 1636.
Sir Robert Wingfield was at this time tenant of the hall or parsonage house and lands immediately about it, which were also given up to Mr. Knot, the curate, in the following year.[2]
About the same time the King's letters were issued for a collection in all the churches on behalf of the poor ministers in the Palatinate, which was thus communicated to the bishop of Chester by his metropolitan:
"Salutem in Christo
My very good Lord; it hath pleased his Matie, out of his princely compassion towards the distressed estate of the Ministers of the Pallatinate, to grant them his lr̃es pattents for a collection throughout this kingdome of the charitable devoc̄ons of well minded people towards
