ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 341 



must attribute its frequent debts and embarrassments, well endowed 

 as it was, to the bad conduct of its members, and a general 

 inattention to the interests of the institution. 



LETTER XVI. 



BEAUFORT was bishop of Winchester from 1405 to 1447 ; and yet, 

 notwithstanding this long episcopate, only torn. i. of " Beaufort's 

 Register " is to be found. This loss is much to be regretted, as 

 it must unavoidably make a gap in the history of Selborne Priory, 

 and perhaps in the list of its priors. 



In 1410 there was an election for a prior, and again in 1411. 



In vol. i., p. 24, of " Beaufort's Register," is the instrument of 

 the election of John Wynchestre to be prior the substance as 

 follows : 



Richard Elstede, senior canon, signifies to the bishop that 

 brother Thomas Weston, the late prior, died October i8th, 1410, 

 and was buried November nth. That the bishop's license to 

 elect having been obtained he and the whole convent met in the 

 chapter-house, on the same day about the hour of vespers, to con- 

 sider of the election ; that brother John Wynchestre, then sub- 

 prior, with the general consent, appointed the i2th November,^ 

 horam ejusdem diet capitularem, for the business ; when they met 

 in the chapter-house, post missam de sancto Spiritu, solemnly 

 celebrated in the church ; to wit, Richard Elstede, Thomas 

 Halyborne, John Lemyngton, sacrista; John Stepe, cantor; Walter 

 Ffarnham, Richard Putworth, celerarius ; Hugh London, Henry 

 Brampton, alias Brompton ; John Wynchestre, senior, John Wyn- 

 chestre, junior; then *' Proposito primitis verbo Dei," and then 

 ympno "Veni Creator Spiritus" being solemnly sung, cum "versi 

 culo et oratione," as usual, and his letter of license, with the 

 appointment of the hour and place of election being read, alta 

 -voce, in valvis of the chapter-house ; John Wynchestre, senior, the 

 sub-prior, in his own behalf and that of all the canons, and by 



