Sex

Female

Marital Status

Married

Spouse Name

First husband, Alexander Lever; second husband, Thomas Cheetham

Remarks

Career: Elizabeth’s first husband, Alexander Lever, had held the prebend of Bolton-le-Moors under lease from 1499 until his death. Following his death the lease was the subject of a lawsuit between his executors and the archdeacon of Chester.

The executors of Alexander Lever were Elizabeth, William Bolton (his brother-in-law) and two sons. William Bolton was Elizabeth’s brother.

After his death Elizabeth re-married Thomas Cheetham and in 1542 William Bolton, as a trustee of Alexander Lever, sued Thomas and Elizabeth for the return of tithe corn and the goods and chattels of the deceased which had been left for the benefit of Alexander’s children and Elizabeth, but only for as long as she remained unmarried. There was a commission of enquiry which decided in favour of the trustees.

Elizabeth Lever was the mother of Roger Lever.

Sources:

James Christopher Scholes, History of Bolton: with Memorials of the old Parish Church, (ed. William Pimblett, Bolton, 1892), pp. 101-105

Causes

EDC 5/13/1 – mentioned in the libel

Sex

Male

Marital Status

Married

Spouse Name

Elizabeth

Remarks

Career: Alexander Lever had held the prebend of Bolton-le-Moors under lease from 1499 until his death.

When he made his will in April 1539 he named two surviving daughters and two sons, one being his heir, Roger, who was a minor at the time. He appointed his wife, Elizabeth, as an executrix with his brother-in-law, William Bolton, and two sons as executors.

After his death his widow re-married Thomas Cheetham.

Sources:

James Christopher Scholes, History of Bolton: with Memorials of the old Parish Church, (ed. William Pimblett, Bolton, 1892), pp. 101-105

Causes

EDC 5/13/1 – mentioned in the libel

Sex

Male

Approx Year of Birth

after 1518

Marital Status

Unknown

Occupation Status

Gentleman

Remarks

Career: Roger Lever (Leaver) was the son of Alexander Lever and his wife, Elizabeth. When Alexander made his will in April 1539 his son and heir, Roger, was a minor so he must have been born after 1518.

Sources:

James Christopher Scholes, History of Bolton: with Memorials of the old Parish Church, (ed. William Pimblett, Bolton, 1892), p. 103

Causes

EDC 5/13/1 – plaintiff

Sex

Male

Approx Year of Birth

1496/97

Marital Status

Married

Spouse Name

First wife, Elizabeth; second wife, Anne

Occupation Status

Gentleman

Remarks

Career:  Thomas Langton was born in 1496/97, the second son of Ralph Langton of Newton and Walton-le-Dale. His father and older brother had died by 1511, and he was made a ward of a younger son of the first earl of Derby, Sir Edward Stanley, whose daughter, Elizabeth, became Langton’s first wife.

He was knighted in 1533 at the coronation of Anne Boleyn and later assisted the earl of Derby in the suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace and fought in the border wars against the Scots. He was elected to the second Marian parliament of 1554 and served as sheriff of Lancashire three times in the 1560s and 1570s.

His will indicates that he held extensive lands and also held the advowson of the parish of Wigan. He is named as baron of Newton and baron of Walton.

He has been described as an ‘ardent litigant’ (Alan Davidson, History of Parliament Online).

Sir Thomas Langton died in 1569 and asked to be buried ‘in the parisshe churche of Lawe’ (Piccope, p. 250).

Sources:

Rev. G. J. Piccope (ed.), Lancashire and Cheshire Wills and Inventories from the Ecclesiastical Court, Chester (Chetham Society, old series, 51, 1860), pp. 246-255

F. R. Raines (ed.), The visitation of the county palatine of Lancaster, made in the year 1567 by William Flower, Esq (Chetham Society, old series, 81, 1870), p. 24

https://historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/langton-sir-thomas-149697-1569

Causes

EDC 5/11/1 – plaintiff

Sex

Male

Parish

Eccles

Marital Status

Unknown

Causes

EDC 5/2/1 – defendant

Sex

Male

Parish

Tilston

Marital Status

Unknown

Causes

EDC 5/1560/2 – defendant

Sex

Male

Parish

Warmingham

Marital Status

Unknown

Occupation Status

Clerk

Remarks

Although in the suit at EDC 5/1/6 he is described as a chaplain, he is described elsewhere as a curate, so was presumably curate under the rector of the parish at the time of the suit who was Richard Minshull or Mynshull.

Causes

EDC 5/1/6 – plaintiff (joint)

Sex

Female

Approx Year of Birth

1546

Parish

Middleton

Marital Status

Married

Spouse Name

Thomas

Causes

EDC 5/1580/10 – witness on the libel

Sex

Female

Parish

Prestbury

Marital Status

Widow

Spouse Name

John Legh

Remarks

Elizabeth Legh was married to John Legh of Ridge who died in 1578. She was the daughter of Fulk Dutton of Chester and her eldest son was called John.

Sources:
J. P. Earwaker, East Cheshire Past and Present, vol. 2 (London, 1880), pp. 432-437.

Causes

EDC 5/1580/9 – defendant

Sex

Male

Parish

Bangor

Marital Status

Unknown

Causes

EDC 5/1575/15 – defendant