Top (39) Death and burial
1622 June. DP397/13/16 (in English). "Statement of case in Court of Delegates: Standish v. Charnock - burial place in Chorley Church . c. 1620." Rev. Porteus obviously had another dated copy of this (in Latin), about which he wrote the following:
In June 1622 according to a charter in possession of the author, a suit was pending between Alexander Standish of Duxbury and Thomas Charnock of Astley concerning right of burial in the northern half of the chancel above the steps in the highest part of the said chancel within the church or chapel of Chorley . The King had appointed a commission of judges, and meanwhile strictly forbade any burials in the disputed portion (probably the northern half of the sanctuary, to which the Standishes appear to have made good their claim as well as to the south part). King James enjoined George Comey, vicar of Croston, Richard Smith, curate of the church or chapel of Chorley, the churchwardens of Chorley and the parish clerk or doorkeeper ( ostiarius ) not to make any grave in that part or allow any burial until the suit was decided.
(Porteus, A Short History of Chorley Parish Church , c. 1946, pp. 9-10.)
Although we need not believe that King James himself was deeply and personally involved, this was obviously a matter that had reached a rather high level in London , and implies that he had at least been consulted. The dispute was perhaps connected with an event three and a half years earlier:
Mittimus: to Constable of Chester Castle - to take into custody William Charnock, gent. as a 'dangerous recusant'. 15 January 1618/19. (Catalogue: DP397/13/15.)
Its very appearance in the Standish family papers implies that A.S. had been involved somehow, and William Charnock was obviously a staunch Catholic. These two families were the only ones to share 'ownership' of the chancel and they both left behind their own carved pews. The Charnock pew is also still there today. This Charnock or another later married A.S.'s daughter Alice as her second husband. Brother Ralph intriguingly referred to it as "her little adventure" in his will in 1637. (This will appear under his biography.)
1622, 29 June. A.S. was buried at Chorley . Where he was buried we do not know, as no record has survived of the outcome of the dispute. The Parish Register merely records "Alexander Standishe of Dukesburie Esquire" under this date.