verhampton Church," pp. 57-60.)

The visitation of the religious houses, undertaken as it was in a hostile
spirit by Henry VIII., naturally alarmed the authorities of a church
where it would appear that irregularities on the part of the prebendaries
had long existed, and not an inconsiderable portion of the church
property had been alienated, to say nothing of the sequestration of the
church communion plate. Now some hasty attempts were made at
restitution, and more so to escape detection and censure.

Restoration in some sort seems to have been hastily attempted at
Wolverhampton. In 1529 Nicholas Leveson presented a new chalice of
silver; and the high altar was restored at much expense to its former
magnificence. The Dean, however, fell into disgrace in the matter of
denying the King's supremacy, and was committed to the Tower of London in
consequence. In 1540 bells purchased by the inhabitants from Wenlock
Abbey were hung in the church tower. Four years later sixteen stalls,
taken from the recently dissolved monastery at Lilleshall, were presented
by Sir Walter Leveson to Wolverhampton Church.

All these precautions scarcely availed to avert the impending doom. By
an Act passed in the first year of the reign of Edward VI., the
dissolution of Colleges and Chantries was effected. But the Royal
College of Windsor, of which Wolverhampton was a member, was especially
exempted, and the Wolverhampton Chapter consequently felt secure from
disturbance.

So sure of their position were they that the prebendaries actually
proceeded to lease out their property. Among the others, the prebendary
of Willenhall granted his lands and tithes to John Leveson, Esq. (who
held several other of the prebendal properties), for a reserved rent of 6
pounds 6s.

Although the various deeds were confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of
Windsor, the legality of the proceedings was questioned; and presently it
was successfully contended that the Deanery of Wolverhampton was a
separate benefice detached from the College of Windsor, and that the
prebends were in the hands of the Crown.

There is extant another valuation of these ecclesiastical revenues in the
Primate's Court. The record is in Latin, but it may be Englished thus:--

pounds s. d.
Canterbury values Willenhall 5 2 1
It Days to the Dean of Wolverhampton 0 3 3