ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 343 
eB AGE IRe a: Kod OX. 
STEPE died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may 
suppose pretty far advanced in life, having been prior forty-four 
years. 
On the very day that the vacancy happened, viz., January 26th, 
1453-4, the sub-prior and convent petitioned the visitor—‘‘ vos 
unicum levamen nostrum, et spem unanimiter rogamus, quatinus 
eligendum ex nobis unum confratrem de gremio nostro, in nostra 
religione probatum et expertem, licenciam vestram paternalem cum 
plena libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose.’”’—Reg. Wayn- 
flete, tom. I. 
Instead of the license requested we find next a commission 
“ custodie prioratus de Selebourne durante vacatione,’’? addressed 
to brother Peter Berne, canon-regular of the priory of Selebourne, 
and of the order of St. Augustine, appointing him keeper of the 
said priory, and empowering him to collect and receive the profits 
and revenues and “alia bona” of the said priory ; and to exercise 
in every respect the full power and authority of a prior; but to be 
responsible to the visitor finally, and to maintain this superiority 
during the bishop’s pleasure only. This instrument is dated from 
the bishop’s manor-house in Southwark, March Ist, 1453-4, and the 
seventh of his consecration. 
After this transaction it does not appear that the chapter of the 
priory proceeded to any election; on the contrary, we find that at 
six months’ end from the vacancy the visitor declared that a lapse 
had taken place ; and that therefore he did confer the priorship on 
canon Peter Berne.—“ Prioratum vacantem et ad nostram colla- 
tionem, seu provisionem jure ad nos in hac parte per lapsum 
temporis legitime devoluto spectantem, tibi (sc. P. Berne) de 
legitimo matrimonio procreato, &c.—conferimus,” &c. This deed 
bears date July 28th, 1454.—-Reg. Waynflete, tom. I. p. 69. 
On February 8th, 1462, the visitor issued out a power of seques- 
tration against the priory of Selborne on account of notorious 
dilapidations, which threatened manifest ruin to the roofs, walls, 
and edifices, of the said convent; and appointing John Hammond, 
