OF SELBORNE. 341 



" Item 1. pecten St. Ricardi* 



The staurum, or live stock, is quite ridiculous, consisting 

 only of " 2 vacce, 1 sus, 4 hoggett. et 4 porcell." viz. two 

 cows, one sow, four porkers, and four pigs. 



LETTER XIX. 



STEPE died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may sup- 

 pose pretty far advanced in life, having been prior forty-four 

 years. 



On the very day that the vacancy happened, viz. January 

 26, 1453-4, the sub-prior and convent petitioned the visitor 

 " vos unicum levamen nostrum, et spein unanimiter rogamus, 

 " quatinus eligendum ex nobis unum confratrem de gremio 

 " nostro, in nostra religione probatum et expertem, licenciam 

 " vestram paternalem cum plena libertate nobis concedere 

 " dignemini graciose." Reg. Waynflete, torn. I. 



Instead of the licence requested we find next a commission 

 " custodie prioratus de Selebourne durante vacatione," ad- 

 dressed to brother Peter Berne, canon-regular of the priory 

 of Selebourne, and of the order of St. Augustine, appointing 

 him keeper of the said priory, and empowering him to collect 

 and receive the profits and revenues, and " alia bona," of the 

 said priory ; and to exercise in every respect the full power 

 and authority of a prior ; but to be responsible to the visitor 

 finally, and to maintain this superiority during the bishop's 

 pleasure only. This instrument is dated from the bishop's 



joint the religious were not such osteologists as to specify. This bar- 

 barous word was not to be found in any dictionary consulted by the 

 author. 



* " Pecten inter ministeria sacra recensetur, quo scil. sacerdotes ac 

 " clerici, antequam in ecclesiam procederent, crines pecterent. E quibus 

 " colligitur mouachos, tune temporis, non omnino tonsos fuisse." 



Du Fresne. 



The author remembers to have seen in great farm houses a family comb 

 chained to a post for the use of the hinds when they came into their meals. 



