ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 33* 



great benefactress to the University of Oxford, to the canons of 

 Oseney, the nuns of Godstovv, and other religious houses in 

 Oxfordshire. She died very aged, in the year 1300,* and was 

 buried before the high altar in the abbey church of Oseney, at the 

 head of the tomb of Henry D'Oily, under a flat marble, on which 

 was inlaid her portraiture, in the habit of a vowess, engraved on a 

 copper-plate." " Edmondson's History and Genealogical Account 

 of the Grevilles," p. 23. 



LETTER XIII. 



THE reader is here presented with the titles of five forms respect- 

 ing the choosing of a prior. " Charta petens licentiam elegendi 

 prelatum a Domino episcopo Wintoniensi : " "Forma licentie 

 concesse :" " Forma decreti post electionem conficiendi : " 108. 

 "Modus procedendi ad electionem per formam scrutinii:" et 

 " Forma ricte presentandi electum." Such evidences are rare and 

 curious, and throw great light upon the general monastico-ecde- 

 siastical history of this kingdom, not yet sufficiently understood. 



In the year 1324 there was an election for a prior at Selborne ; 

 when some difficulties occurring, and a devolution taking place, 

 application was made to Stratford, who was bishop of Winchester 

 at that time, and of course the visitor and patron of the convent 

 at the spot above-mention ed.t 



An Extract from " Reg. Stratford." Winton. 

 P. 4. "Commissio facta sub-priori de Selebourne," by the 

 bishop enjoining him to preserve the discipline of the order in the 

 convent during the vacancy made by the late death of the prior, 

 ("nuper pastoris solatio destituta,") dated 4th kal. Maii. ann. 2do 

 sc. of his consecration. [Sc. 1324.] 



* Thus she survived the foundation of her chantry at Selborne fifteen years. 

 About this lady and her mother consult Dugdale's "Baronage," i. 7 2 > J 75 

 177; Dugdale's "Warwickshire," i. 383; Leland's "Itin." ii. 45. 



f Stratford was Bishop of Winchester from 1323 to 1333, when he was 

 translated to Canterbury. 



