e service by the appointed chantry priest, to whose stipend and
support the endowment mainly went.

Most of these chantries came into existence in the 14th century, and by
the close of the following century there was scarce a parish church in
the kingdom without its chantry in one or other of its side chapels or
subsidiary altars. By the time of Richard II.--about the year 1394--at
least four chantries had been founded, and chapels built, within the
outer area of Wolverhampton parish; namely, at Willenhall, Bilston,
Pelsall, and Hatherton.

In connection with the endowments of the Willenhall chantry, it is on
record that at an Inquisition taken in 1397, it was testified on oath
that Roger Levison at that time held on lease from Thomas Browning,
chaplain of this chantry, 12 acres of land in Wednesfield, and 100s. of
rent in Willenhall, for which he had to perform suit and service (of the
usual nature in feudal tenures) at the Deanery Court of Wolverhampton.

In 1409 the advowson of the chapel of Willenhall, together with certain
valuable properties of rents and tenements in Wolverhampton, were granted
by Richard Hethe and William Prestewode, chaplain, to William Bysshebury
and his wife Joan, and settled on them for the term of their lives, with
remainder to John Hampton, of Stourton, and his heirs for ever.

Fourteen years later William Bysshebury (his wife Joan being then
deceased) was sued by certain plaintiffs, on behalf of the said John
Hampton, for wasting these Wolverhampton properties, of which he had the
reversion. The plaintiffs included Roger Aston, knight, William Leveson,
William Everdon, Thomas Arblaster, and others; while the waste and
destruction complained of comprised the digging and selling of clay,
marl, and stones; the permitting of seven halls, two chambers, two
kitchens, two granges, a dovecot, and a mill to remain unroofed till the
principal timbers had rotted; and also with cutting down and selling a
number of oaks, ashes, pear, and apple trees, the total damage in respect
of all this waste being estimated at a very considerable figure.

The advowson was, of course, the right of presentation to the benefice of
Willenhall; and the Hamptons of Stourton Castle, to whom it passed at
this time, seem to have been a family which originated at
Wolverhampton--and perhaps derived their name from the town.

The ministers who officiated in the local chapels-of-ease were inferior
in official status to t