ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 311 



from the world, amidst woods and meadows, and so far proper for 

 the site of a religious house. * 



The first person with whom the founder treated about the 

 purchase of land was Jacobus de Achangre, or Ochangre, a 

 gentleman of property who resided in that hamlet; and, as 

 appears, at the house now called Oakhanger-house. With him he 

 agreed for a croft, or little close of land, known by the name 

 of La liega, or La lyge, which was to be the immediate site of the 

 Priory. 



De Achangre also accommodated the bishop at the same instant 

 with three more adjoining crofts, which for a time was all the 

 footing that this institution obtained in the parish. The seller in 

 the conveyance says, " Warantizabimus, defendemus, et aequieta- 

 bimus contra omnes gentes ;" viz., "We will warrant the thing sold 

 against all claims from any quarter." In modern conveyancing 

 this would be termed a covenant for further assurance. After- 

 wards is added" Pro hac autem donacione, &c., dedit mini pred. 

 Episcopus sexdecem marcas argenti in Gersumam : " i.e., "The 

 bishop gave me sixteen silver marks as a consideration for the 

 thing purchased." 



As the grant from Jac. de Achangre was without date,t and the 

 next is circumstanced in the same manner, we cannot say exactly 

 what interval there was between the two purchases ; but we find 

 that Jacobus de Nortun, a neighbouring gentleman, also soon sold 



* The institution at Selborne was a priory of black-canons of the order ot 

 St. Augustine, called also canons-regular. Regular-canons were such as lived 

 in a conventual manner under one roof, had a common refectory and dormitory, 

 and were bound by vows to observe the rules and statutes of their order : in 

 fine, they were a kind of religious, whose discipline was less rigid than the 

 monks. The chief rule of these canons was that of St. Augustine, who was 

 constituted bishop of Hippo, A.D. 395 ; but they were not brought into England 

 till after the conquest ; and seem not to have obtained the appellation of 

 Augustine canons till some years after. Their habit was a long black cassock, 

 with a white rocket over it ; and over that a black cloak and hood. The monks 

 were always shaved ; but these canons wore their hair and beards, and caps on 

 their heads. There were of these canons, and women of the same order called 

 Canonesses, about 175 houses. 



f The custom of affixing dates to deeds was not become general in the reign 

 of Henry III. 



