The History of the Church and Manor of Wigan/Richard Wyot

by George Thomas Orlando Bridgeman

Mr. Richard Wyot, S.T.P., was admitted 16th August, 1506, to the parish church of Wigan, vacant by the death of Sir Thomas Langton, by the Reverend Father and Lord Geoffrey, bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, on the presentation of King Henry VII. by reason of the minority of Thomas Langton, son and heir of Ralph Langton, deceased.^[1]

Richard Wyot (Wiot or Wyett) had been ordained acolyte 22 Feb., 1493-4, and was Proctor of the University of Cambridge in 1498 and 1501.^[2] He was admitted to the prebend of Bishopshill in the cathedral church of Lichfield, in September, 1506, which he resigned in January, 1508-9, for that of Ruiton in the same church, which latter he held from 10th February, 1508-9, until within a few weeks of his death.^[3] In the meantime he had been collated on 1st September, and admitted on 3rd September, 1507, to a prebend in the collegiate church of Southwell, which he retained till his death in 1522.^[4]

By an inquisition taken after the death of Sir Alexander Standish of Standish, knight, on 25th August, 1508, the jury found that the said Alexander died seized of a messuage called Bromley (now called Brimelow, in the township of Wigan), valued at 100s. per annum, which he held jointly with his wife Sibilla, who survived him, of Richard Wyot, Rector of Wigan, by the service of 27s. yearly; also of two burgages in Wigan, valued at four marks, which he held of the same Richard Wyot for a rent of 6s. 3d.^[5]

It appears from a petition presented to the King by Maister Richard Wyot, clerk, parson of the church of Wigan (the date of which is not given in the roll), that, for a long time past, it had been the use and custom of the town and borough of Wigan, whenever a vacancy in the mayoralty occurred, for the burgesses to elect three of themselves, whose names should be presented to the parson of the church of Wigan, who should appoint one of them to be mayor for the ensuing year.^[6]

Mr. Richard Wyot was Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, in 1509, which post he resigned in the following year.^[7] He resigned the rectory of Wigan in or before October, 1519, and on 13th November of the same year he was admitted as precentor of York, an office then void by the resignation of Thomas Linacre,^[8] who had already succeeded him at Wigan. Dr. Wyot died in July, 1522, and was buried at Southwell, in accordance with directions given in his will, being at the time of his decease a prebendary of Southwell, prebendary and precentor of York, and rector of Bingham, in the county of Notts.^[9] His will was proved on 31st October, 1522.

1. Lichfield Diocesan Register Lib. xiii., now in the Chester Diocesan Registry.
2. Athenæ Cantabrigienses vol. i. p. 26. He bore for his arms—per fesse asure and gules, a barnacle argent.
3. Le Neve's Fasti.
4. Ibid.
5. Abstracts of Inquisitiones post mortem, Chetham Tract xcix. p. 141.
6. Duchy of Lancaster Pleadings vol. vi. W. No. 7.
7. Le Neve's Fasti; Cooper's Athenæ Caniabrigienses, According to Le Neve he became Master in 1507, but according to Messrs. Cooper he was more probably elected to that office in 1509.
8. Le Neve's Fasti
9. Le Neve's Fasti