OF SELBORNE. 209 



" maining ten pounds to be distributed in bread, at twenty 

 " shillings a week, at the discretion of John White, esq. or 

 " any of his family, who shall be resident in the said parish." 



On November 12, 1758, Andrew Etty, B.D. became vicar. 

 Among many useful repairs he new-roofed the body of the 

 vicarage-house; and wainscoted, up to the bottom of the win- 

 dows, the whole of the chancel ; to the neatness and decency 

 of which he always paid the most exact attention. 



On September, 25, 1784, Christopher Taylor, B.D. was in- 

 ducted into the vicarage of Selborne. 



LETTER VII. 



I SHALL now proceed to the Priory, which is undoubtedly the 

 most interesting part of our history. 



The Priory of Selborne was founded by Peter de la Roche, 

 or de Rvpibu*,* one of those accomplished foreigners that 

 resorted to the court of king John, where they were usually 

 caressed, and met with a more favourable reception than 

 ought, in prudence, to have been shown by any monarch to 

 strangers. This adventurer was a Poictevin by birth, had 

 been bred to arms in his youth, and distinguished by knight- 

 hood. Historians all agree not to speak very favourably of 

 this remarkable man ; they allow that he was possessed of 

 courage and fine abilities, but then they charge him with 

 arbitrary principles, and violent conduct. By his insinuating 

 manners he soon rose high in the favour of John; and in 

 1205, early in the reign of that prince, was appointed bishop 

 of Winchester. In 1214 he became lord chief justiciary of 

 England, the first magistrate in the state, and a kind of 

 viceroy, on whom depended all the civil affairs in the king- 

 dom. After the death of John, and during the minority of 

 his son Henry, this prelate took upon him the entire manage- 

 ment of the realm, and was soon appointed protector of the 

 king and kingdom. 



x See Godwin de Prsesulibus Anglia. Folio, London. 1743, p. 217. 



