o an entry in
the Registers, was "sequestered to the vacant chapelry of Willenhall,
December 4th, 1788." Toward the close of his ministry Mr. Neve appears
to have had the assistance of Curates--George Lewis signs the Registers
as "Clerk, Curate" between December, 1778, and July, 1779; and the
signature of Mr. Moreton in the same capacity begins to appear in 1784.
Among the entries of the last-named is a record that in 1786 he paid the
"tax" on a number of Baptisms and Burials himself, whereas in 1785 he
shows that a "Collector" received it.

* * * * *

The advent of the Rev. W. Moreton marks an epoch, and we now turn aside
to consider the peculiar history of the Advowson, or right of
presentation to the living of Willenhall. In 1409 it is found in private
hands, being then the property of William Bushbury and his wife (see
Chapter VII.).

When the lord of a manor built a church on his own demesne, he often
appointed the tithes of the manor to be paid to the officiating minister
there, which before had been given to the clergy in common; the lord who
thus founded the church often endowed it with glebe, and retained the
power of nominating the minister (canonically qualified) to officiate
therein. But a chapel-of-ease like Willenhall, built by a resident in
the locality, often had its minister, maintained by the subscriptions of
persons living close around it, and they naturally claimed to elect their
own ministers. The authorities at the mother church would reserve the
right to approve and confirm, and would see that they suffered no loss of
fees and other emoluments.

An old book in the Registry at Windsor (without date) contains this
entry:--

The curacy of Willenhall is endowed with land to the value of 35
pounds. The lords of Stow Heath have, in the last two vacancies,
usurped upon the Dean and Chapter, and have nominated to it.

Shaw, the county historian, writing in 1798, after stating that whoever
holds the Curacy of Willenhall must have a licence from the Dean of
Wolverhampton, proceeds to say:--

There has been lately a serious contest between the Marquis of
Stafford and the inhabitants about the nomination of a curate.

The gift of the living (says the same authority), or nomination of
the minister or curate, is in the principal inhabitants that have
lands of inheritance here. He is to be approved of by the lords of
the manor, a