OF SELBORNE 323 



John, appeared in person before the bishop in his chapel at 

 South Waltham. He was attended on this occasion by- 

 Thomas London and John Bromesgrove, canons, who had 

 elected him. Peter Berne and William Stratfeld, canons, 

 also presented themselves at the same time, complaining 

 that in this business they had been overlooked, and not 

 summoned ; and that therefore the validity of the election 

 might with reason be called in question, and quarrels and 

 dissensions might probably arise between the newly chosen 

 prior and the parties thus neglected. 



After some altercation and dispute they all came to an 

 agreement with the new prior that what had been done 

 should be rejected and annulled ; and that they would 

 again, for this turn, transfer to the bishop their power to 

 elect, order, and provide them another prior, whom they 

 promised unanimously to admit. 



The bishop accepted of this offer before witnesses ; and 

 on September 27, in an inner chamber near the chapel 

 abovementioned, after full deliberation, chose brother 

 Thomas Fairwise, vicar of Somborne, a canon-regular of 

 Saint Augustine in the Priory of Bruscough, in the diocese 

 of Coventry and Litchfield, to be prior of Selborne. The 

 form is nearly as above in the last election. The canons 

 are again enumerated ; W. Wyndesor, sub-prior, P. Berne, 

 T. London, W. Stratfeld, J. Bromesgrove, who had formed 

 the chapter, and had requested and obtained license to 

 elect, but had unanimously conferred their power on the 

 bishop. In consequence of this proceeding, the bishop 

 taking the business upon himself, that the Priory might 

 not suffer detriment for want of a governor, appoints the 

 aforesaid T. Fairwise to be prior. A citation was ordered 

 as above for gainsayers to appear October 4th, before the 

 bishop or his commissaries at South Waltham ; but none 

 appearing, the commissaries admitted the said Thomas, 

 ordered him to be installed, and sent the usual letter to the 

 convent to render him due obedience. 



Thus did the bishop of Winchester a second time 

 appoint a stranger to be prior of Selborne, instead of one 

 chosen out of the chapter. For this seeming irregularity 



