Page:The History of the Church & Manor of Wigan part 2.djvu/91

270 the old (or parson's) chancel, with the bishop's consent, on 22nd March, 1621-2.

In this year's accounts bishop Bridgeman mentions Mr. Bridge as one of his curates at Wigan.

In April, 1622, we find the bishop employed in providing remedies for the great decay in the local cloth trade, a large number of poor persons being then out of work.

On 23rd April, 1622, being sick and unable to go up to the church to choose churchwardens, he sent for Peter Marsh, the mayor, and the rest of the parishioners that were at church at divine service that afternoon (being Easter Tuesday), to come to the hall to choose churchwardens, according to the canon, where he chose William Ormeshaw, alias Ascroft (who had been chosen by his curate in the previous year during his absence), and the parish chose Roger Grimshaw of Haigh.

On 10th September the bishop discharged William Brown, senior, of Wallgate, from his service, "for that he, being no burgess, had served in the mayor's court (as they call it) upon the jury." For in the time of parson Fleetwood they had alleged that some of his servants had sued or served in their court, and hence concluded the courts and liberties to be theirs. But since he (bishop Bridgeman) had proved his right to the courts, some of his tenants, namely, Wm. Higham, tanner, John Wakefield, panner, and Miles Letherbarrow, miller, had proved, by order of law, that they were not to do suit, or bear office on their appointment, or pay gaudes at their laying; for they being sued by the town and brought by privy seal into the duchy court, after a deliberate hearing, with the advice of the judges, Sir John Denham and Sir Thomas Chamberlain, who were for that cause sent for into court, and declared their opinions that the town could not claim, or of right enforce those men to do them suit, or to pay their lays, or to be their officers, — the court dismissed them; and the said Higham and Wakefield have ever since refused to do