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1587

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Frée schoole at Wlfrune|hampton.Stephan Genings merchant tailor, maior of London, founded a free grammar schoole at Wl|frunehampton in Staffordshire, with conuenient lodgings for the maister and vsher, in the same place where he was borne. He gaue lands sufficient for the maintenance, leauing the ouersight thereof to the merchant tailors in London, who haue hither|to iustlie dealt in that matter, and also augmented the building there. Maister Nichols, who maried the onelie daughter and heire of the aforesaid Stephan Genings, gaue lands to mainteine the pauements of that towne. Also, Iohn Leneson esquier, about Anno 1556, gaue lands, whereof foure pounds should be dealt euerie yeare, on good fridaie, to the poore people of Wlfrunehampton, and six and twentie shillings eight pence yéerelie, towards the reparati|on of the church there.

Iohn Ligh of Wlfrunehãp|ton, his rare example of charitie.Moreouer, about Anno 1566, sir Iohn Ligh a préest, which had serued in that church there, the space of thréescore years, for fiue pounds, six shillings eight pence the yeare, without anie other augmentation of his liuing, who would neuer take anie benefice, or other preferment, gaue twentie pounds, to purchase twentie shillings the yeare lands, the same to be gi|uen yearelie for euer to the poore of Wlfrunehamp|ton vpon good fridaie; & twelue pounds thirteene shil|lings foure pence, to purchase a marke a yeare lands, the same to be giuen to the poore of Chifnall, in the countie of Salope, where the said Ligh was borne. This man liued nigh one hundred years. He bestow|ed besides his owne labour which was great (in hea|ring of stones, &c.) aboue twentie pounds on the high waies about that towne of Wlfrunehampton.

This towne of Wlfrunehampton, is now cor|ruptlie called Wolnerhampton:Wlfrunehãp|ton, corruptlie called Wol|nerhampton. for in Anno 996, in king Ethelredstime (who wrote himselfe Rex An|glorum & princeps Northumbrorum Olympiade tertia regni sui, for so he wrote the count of his reigne then, which was the fiftéenth yeare) it was then called Hamp|ton, Excharta Regia as appeareth by an old charter written by the no|tarie of the said king Ethelred, which charter I haue seene and read. And for that a noble woman named Wlfrune a widow, sometime wife to Althelme duke of Northampton, did obteine of the said king to giue lands vnto the church there which she had founded, the said towne tooke the addition of the same Wlfrune, for that charter so nameth hir Wlfrune, and the towne Hampton.

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