ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 361 



John Sharper [Sharp], alias Glastonbury . . . .1478 

 [Canon-reg. of Bruton, elected by the bishop 



by compromise.] 



[Thomas Ashford, canon of Selborne, last prior 

 elected by the Bishop of Winchester, some time 



in the year 1484 



And deposed at the dissolution.] 



LETTER XXIV. 



BISHOP WAYNFLETE'S efforts to continue the Priory still proved 

 unsuccessful ; and the convent, without any canons, and for some 

 time without a prior, was tending swiftly to its dissolution. 



When Sharp's alias Glastonbury's priorship ended does not 

 appear. The bishop says that he had been obliged to remove 

 some priors for mal-administration ; but it is not well explained 

 how that could be the case with any unless with Sharp, because 

 all the others chosen during his episcopate died in their office, 

 viz., Morton and Fairwise ; Berne only excepted, who relinquished 

 twice voluntarily, and was, moreover, approved of by Waynflete as 

 a person of integrity. But the way to show what ineffectual pains 

 the bishop took, and what difficulties he met with, will be to quote 

 the words of the libel of his proctor, Rudolphus Langley, who 

 appeared for the bishop in the process of the impropriation of the 

 Priory of Selborne. The extract is taken from an attested copy. 



"Item that the said bishop, dicto prioratui et personis 

 ejusdem pie compatiens, sollicitudines pastorales, labores, et 

 diligentias gravissimas quam plurimas, tarn per se quam per suos, 

 pro reformatione premissorum impendebat ; et aliquando illius 

 loci prioribus, propter malam et inutilem administrationem, et 

 dispensationem bonorum predicti prioratus, suis demeritis exigen- 

 tibus, amotis ; alios priores in quorum circumspectione et diligentia 

 confidebat, prefecit ; quos tamen male se habuisse ac inutiliter 

 administrare, et administrasse, usque ad presentia tempora post 



