ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 345 
his free license to elect, deliberated awhile, and then, by way of 
compromise, as they affirmed, unanimously transferred their right 
of election to the bishop before witnesses. In consequence of this 
the bishop, after full deliberation, proceeded, April 7th, ‘‘in capella 
manerii sui de Waltham,” to the election of a prior; “et fratrem 
Johannem Morton, priorem ecclesie conventualis de Reygate dicti 
ordinis St. Augustini Wynton. dioc. in priorem vice et nomine 
omnium et singulorum canonicorum predictorum elegit, in ordine 
sacerdotali, et etate licita constitutum, &c.” And on the same day, 
in the same place, and before the same witnesses, John Morton 
resigned to the bishop the priorship of Reygate wzva voce. The 
bishop then required his consent to his own election : “ qui licet 
in parte renitens tanti reverendi patris se confirmans,” obeyed, and 
signified his consent oraculo vive vocis. ‘Then was there a mandate 
citing any one who would gainsay the said election to appear before 
the bishop or his commissary in his chapel at Farnham on the 
second day of May next. The dean of the deanery of Aulton then 
appeared before the chancellor, his commissary, and returned the 
citation or mandate dated April 22nd, 1468, with signification, in 
writing, of his having published it as required, dated Newton 
Valence, May Ist, 1468. This certificate being read, the four 
canons of Selborne appeared and required the election to be 
confirmed ; ef ex super abundanti appointed William Long their 
proctor to solicit in their name that he might be canonically con- 
firmed. John Morton also appeared, and proclamation was made ; 
and no one appearing against him, the commissary pronounced all 
absentees contumacious, and precluded them from objecting at any 
other time; and, at the instance of John Morton and the proctor, 
confirmed the election by his decree, and directed his mandate to 
the rector of Hedley and the vicar of Newton Valence to install 
him in the usual form. 
Thus, for the first time, was a person, a stranger to the convent 
of Selborne, and never canon of that monastery, elected prior ; 
though the style of the petitions in former elections used to run 
thus,—* Vos - - - - rogamus quatinus eligendum ex zodzs unum 
confratrem de gremio nostro,—licentiam vestram—nobis concedere 
dignemini.” 
