Yet, in spite of these deficiencies, the _Valor Ecclesiasticus_ may tell us much, if we bear in mind its limitations. The valuations made after the Dissolution were expressly ordered to be compared with the _Valor Ecclesiasticus_ and, as has been mentioned, they afford useful data for comparison. It is not surprising that they are usually higher in amount. The Surveyors had gained experience, and they had the previous survey for a guide. No source of income previously recorded would be likely to be overlooked, while those which had been omitted would now be discovered. The Surveyors, of course, desired to make their valuation as high as possible in order to ingratiate themselves with the Government. But, while the income in _Valor Ecclesiasticus_ may well be less than is correct, that of the Dissolution officials could not easily be excessive. If in any case it were so, the fact would soon be proved by the would-be purchasers. The Staffordshire Returns in _Valor Ecclesiasticus_ are arranged as follows:[65] 1. Rural Deanery of Lapley and Trysull. This includes Brewood Nunnery and Dudley Priory. The names of the Commissioners who did the work for the Rural Deanery are recorded, as we have mentioned, and Walter Wrottesley is expressly stated to have estimated the value of the demesne at Dudley. Disbursements are reduced to a vanishing point at Brewood and to little better at Dudley, only the fees of the steward, Edward Blount, gent., and the bailiff, John Coke, being allowed. 2. Rural Deanery of Newcastle and Stone. This includes Hulton Abbey, Trentham Priory, St. Thomas’s Priory at Stafford, Stone Priory and Ronton Priory. No records of alms or payments for education are shown, though a corrody is allowed at Trentham. 3. Stafford Archdeaconry. 4. Rural Deanery of Leek and Alton. In this are included Dieulacres, Rocester and Croxden Abbeys. Payments are shown to the Bishop and the Dean and Chapter, and at Croxden the unusual item of 13s. 4d. to “the General Reformator of the Cistercian Order.” But, as we have already shown, this official was of Royal, not of Papal appointment. The arrangement of the valuation is alike for all three abbeys, and alms are only recorded at Rocester. 5. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and the Cathedral at Lichfield. 6. Tutbury Priory and Burton Abbey. Alms are noticed in both cases, and the Commissioners appear to have been unusually lenient. 7. Tamworth Collegiate Church. 8. Deanery of Tamworth and Tutbury. A rough calculation of the net income of the Church in Staffordshire, as shown in the above returns, has been made as follows: