Pippard, chaplain, for a messuage and 20 acres of land in
Wolverhampton, which he asserted had descended to him from Richard
Levesson, of Willenhall, who held it in the time of Edward I., in a
direct line, namely, from Richard to his son Geoffrey, from Geoffrey to
his son Roger, and from Roger to his son Nicholas, who was plaintiff's
father.

By this time the Leveson family seems to have been not only firmly
established in and around Willenhall, Wednesfield, and Wolverhampton, but
to have been very numerous as well. Originally yeomen of the first-named
place, cultivating their lands within the precincts of the Royal Forest
of Cannock, they gradually grew and prospered, one branch taking
advantage of the greater commercial opportunities offered by the
last-named town, and settling there as merchants and wool-staplers.

Woolstapling was a prosperous trade in Wolverhampton as early as 1354;
and in its ancient market place the Levesons of the younger branch were
to be found bartering wool and steadily accumulating riches until they
were able to marry into the most exclusive of the county families.

Among the Bailiffs of the Staple--which, in the case of Wolverhampton
were wool and woolfel--we find the names of William Leveson in 1485, and
Walter Leveson in 1491.

Members of other old and well-known local families also filled this
office of Bailiff at various times, namely, William Jennings in 1483,
Richard Gough in 1486, Edward Giffard in 1493, Y. Turton in 1496, and W.
Wrottesley in 1499. If evidence were required of the enterprise of these
Wolverhampton merchants, it would be forthcoming in the fact that a
Leveson and a Jennings, both natives of this place (the latter a
"merchant taylor" in 1508) filled the high office of Lord Mayor of
London.

An Inquisition Post Mortem (one of those feudal inquiries into the extent
of a man's landed possessions which passed to his heirs) was held on the
death of Henry Beaumont, lord of the Manor of Wednesbury, at Willenhall,
on 28th June, 1472. Among those sworn of the jury on that occasion were
James Leveson Esq., Richard Leveson, Esq., Cornelius Wyrley, Esq., Robert
Leveson, Ralph Busshbury, Esq., and William Mollesley, all local
magnates.

It has not been possible to identify all the members of this extensive
family. There were two distinct branches of the Levesons or Luesons.
The elder line were of Prestwood and Lilleshall, and produced Sir Richard
Leveson, of Trentham; t