George Thomas Orlando Bridgeman

“ Gilbert Langshaw says that he is seised of an estate of and in a 4th part of the other water mill by good and lawful conveyance in law. James Langshaw says that he is seised of and in one 3rd part of a 4th part of the last-mentioned water mill. The said defendants deny that the parson has any right to the said mills, or that they have in their possession any writings or deeds concerning them, and aver that they claim only that part to which they are justly entitled. ”

“ Ashurst of Ashurst, among the parishioners of Wigan are described as being "soundly affected in religion." While it is said that all the ladies, widows and gentlewomen whose names are given, among whom are Annie Langton, wife of Thomas Langton, baron of Newton, and Johane Lethwet of Pemberton in Wigan parish, are recusants.
Fleetwood's intolerance of the religious views of others will have doubtless made him many enemies. ”

“ Where they employed themselves so throughly in the cause of religion, that then ensued a most plentiful detection of 600 recusants by oath presented; as also the indictment of 87 of them (as many as for the time could be preferred to the jury) . And further a notification by oath of 21 vagrant priests usually received in Lancashire; and 25 notorious houses of receit for them. Such are the manifold commodities which we feel already of your honour's most sound direction. In respect wherof it is of all that desire reformation among us (as justice of her children) most confidently justified. ”

“ Fleetwood's case is that "whatever the complainant or his ancestors have enjoyed of the said tithes has been obtained at and by the special licence and consent of the said Fleetwood and his predecessors, parsons of Wigan, for a certain yearly rent, and that the late Earl of Derby did often acknowledge that he was tenant of the said tithes unto Fleetwood, without claiming any right of inheritance; that the complainant and his ancestors have paid a yearly rent £12 13s. ”

“ If the traveller haue an horse, his bed dooth cost him nothing, but if he go on foot he is sure to paie a penie for the same: but whether he be horsman or foote, if his chamber be once appointed, he may carie the kaie with him, as of his owne house, so long as he lodgeth there." [53]
In 1590 there were 3,000 communicants at Wigan parish church, the parson, Edward Fleetwood, was "a preacher," as also was another minister whose name is not given. At the two chapels of Holland and Billinge there were no preachers. ”

“ Of Sir Thomas Gerrarde of the Brynne, knight, Thomas Langton, baron of Newton, Myles Gerrarde of Ince, Esq., and Roger Bradshaw of Haigh, Esq., among the knights and esquires in the commission of the Peace, it is said that, though in some degree of conformitie, yet in general note they were of evil affection in religion, were non-communicants, and the wives of most of them were recusants; and among the "gentlemen of the better sorte" Edward Langton of Hyndley, in Wigan parish, was a "recusant and of such indicted." ”

“ It was deemed essential by those in authority, at this critical period, that the county magistracy should be sound and well affected towards the government; and although the Earl of Derby did not conceive any material change to be necessary, the lord treasurer, on the suggestion of Edward Fleetwood, rector of Wigan, and others, caused a new commission to be issued, in which the names of several fresh magistrates were introduced, and a considerable number of those who were thought to be favourable to the recusants omitted. ”

“ He was a married man; and probably the first married rector of Wigan, unless we except the volatile Standish, who may perhaps have been a married man during the few months he was rector of that parish. Mr. Earwaker, who has made large collections for the history of the Fleetwood family in all its many branches, informs me that Edward Fleetwood married Christian, daughter of Paul Wentworth of Lillington, in the county of Bucks, Esq., by whom he left surviving issue, Edward Fleetwood, who subsequently lived at Samlesbury, in the county of Lancaster, Bridget and Dorothy. ”

“ Myles Gerrard of Ince gent and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . suffer your said orator and his undertenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . thereof to take the rents," [18] &c.
The remainder of the membrane is so utterly disconnected and vague that it would be useless to attempt to transcribe it.
It is probable that a commission was issued to enquire into the matter; and the pretensions of the Mayor and burgesses may be guessed by the replication of Fleetwood to the answers of Francis Sherington and others. ”

“ The complainant denies that the Moot hall is the inheritance of the said burgesses or that they and their predecessors have lawfully kept "courtes Baron, courtes leetes, and other courts, fairs, [and] markets" and taken all "wayffs and strays" within the said town, or received the profits thereof except for the last 34 years, during which time they have wrongfully usurped the same: that the said defendants had no right to pull down a wall or building erected by Hugh Langeshawe upon the Wawkmilne green, nor to stay the building of any houses or erections upon the waste ground." ”

“ At this time men's minds were much exercised by the thought of a threatened Spanish invasion, and the seminary priests were very active in stirring up popular feeling in favour of the Spanish King. The popish recusants, therefore, and all who were believed to harbour the seminary priests, were closely watched, and Fleetwood made himself particularly busy in this matter. ”

“ Maior and burgesses of the said towne to be lordes and owners of the said town and the burgesses of the same Burrowe . . . . . . . . . . . wastes thereof and by pretence thereof, of their owne wronge and without any right or tytle or color of right or tytle so to do, . . . . . . . . . . . . laste past improved dyvers parcells of the said comons and waste groundes late lyinge within the said mannor lordshipp or towne of Wigan beinge . . . . . . . . . ”

“ Fleetwood's papers, or sent by him to the authorities in London.
The town of Wigan at this period was progressing in civilization and its attendant luxuries; and Holinshed, in his Itinerary from Cockermouth to London, enumerates, amongst other places, Kendal, Burton, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan, and Warrington, where the inns were well furnished with "napierie, bedding, and tapisserie. Each commer," says he, "is sure to lie in cleane sheets wherein no man hath been lodged since they came from the landresse. ”

“ The said Fleetwood therefore is without any tenant to his great losse and hindrance, "which wilbe to the disinheritans of the seid orator and his successors, parsons there, for ever." [9]
The answer of Hugh Langshaw, Gilbert Langshaw, and James Langshaw, given in 18 Eliz. (1575-6) , is that the said bill is only devised of malice and "evill will " to put them (being poor men) to charges and expenses, by the special procurement of Peter Nelson, "being a greate enemye to James Langshaw, and havyng manye tymes sought hys utter undoinge as is manyfestlie knowen to all their neightbours." ”

“ The only want in general is the want of sound gentlemen in most parts of the country, wherof (I assure myself) they that promote the office against your honours direction will say little. Hereunto your honour conceived a most apt and necessary supply, namely, the attendances of the justices of Salford hundred at the quarterly sessions of other parts of the country worst affected. To which effect it is given out that your honour hath already sent down letters to the earl; but, I fear me, his lordships absence, and the sinister emulation of some of his counsil, as, namely, of Mr. ”

“ During the months of August and September, in unlawful manner, they did break into and enter at different times the divers closes and parcels of ground in Dalton and Holland, being arrayed with swords and other weapons, and did carry away the corn and assault Christopher Robie, John Berrye and Robert Byllinge, the complainant's officers for the gathering of the tithes. ”

“ Fleetwood replies that the said burgesses "have no right by charter to keep the courts leet nor any other court claimed by him in his bill of complaint, —nor any right to the customs and liberties or other things by them alleged ”

“ Baron of Newton Mackersfeld ye last of his name and ye undoubted patron of this Church descended from a most ancient famous and farre renouned family of Langton of Leicestershire who some times were of great authority both in ye Church and Commonwealth of this kingdome and for ye space of 300 yeares have flourished in this County. A gentleman yt many times tuggd wth extremetyes and made warre with ye worst of misfortunes &c. ”

“ As to Holland chapel in the parish of Wigan, the charge against the parish (or chapelry) itself is that there is no curate there, "though by Mr. Fleetwood's means they have never wanted service on the Sabbaoth daie." Against the wardens there it is charged that there are "no books but the Booke of Comon praier, and the Byble wch is ould and torne." There is "a table, but an yll favored one, no comunion cup of silver; no blacke coveringe for the Comunion Table; no cheste, nor Boxe for the Poore. The surples [is] verie olde. One Mr. ”

“ The complainant's replication is as follows:
"Whereas the defendants say that there are annually elected a Mayor, two bailiffs and sundry burgesses, for the town and borough of Wigan, the present aldermen being the Earl of Derby, [19] Sir Thomas Everard, knight, Thomas Holcrofte, [20] John Atherton [21] and Myles Gerrard, [22] Esquires;" ”

“ Arms; per pale nebulée azure and or, six martlets counter-changed. ↑ Bishop Bridgeman's Wigan Ledger. ↑ Ibid. ↑ John Fleetwood of Penwortham (his uncle) by his will dated on 1st September, 1585, ordained his "trustie and welbeloved cosyn Mr. Edward Fleetwoode, parson of Wigan," to be one of his executors (Hulton's Priory of Penwortham, p. lvii.) ↑ Stanley Papers Chetham Tract xxxi. p. 168. ↑ Walke mills; Bamford (Dialect of South Lancashire, p. 255) describes a walke mill as a fulling mill, i.e. a mill for fulling cloth or making it compact and firm. ↑ Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings, 13 Eliz. ”

“ The decree of the court, in the matter of William, Earl of Derby, plaintiff, and Edward Fleetwood and others, defendants, was given at Easter, 43 Eliz., 1601, as follows: "Whereas upon the hearing of the matter in variance between the said parties and debating thereof in open court two several days by counsel learned of both parts, the last term before Mr. ”