346 ANTIQUITIES 



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 the visitor had no 

 doubt good and sufficient reasons, as probably may appear 

 hereafter. 



LETTER XXI. 



WHATEVER might have been the abilities and disposition of 

 prior Fairwise, it could not have been in his power to have 

 brought about any material reformation in the Priory of Sel- 

 borne, because he departed this life in the month of August 

 1472, before he had presided one twelvemonth. 



As soon as their governor was buried the chapter applied 

 to their visitor for leave to choose a new prior, which being 

 granted, after deliberating for a time, they proceeded to an 

 election by a scrutiny. But as this mode of voting has not 

 been described but by the mere form in the Appendix, an 

 extract from the bishop's register, representing the manner 

 more fully, may not be disagreeable to several readers. 



WAYNFLETE BEG. torn. II. pars l ma , fol. 15. 



" Heverendo &c. ac nostro patrono graciosissimo vestri hu- 

 " miles, et devote obedientie filii," &c. 



To the right reverend Father in God, and our most gra- 

 cious patron, we, your obedient and devoted sons, William 

 Wyndesor, president of the chapter of the Priory of Selborne, 

 and the convent of that place, do make known to your lord- 

 ship, that our priorship being lately vacant by the death of 

 Thomas Fairwise, our late prior, who died August llth, 1472, 

 having committed his body to decent sepulture, and having 

 requested, according to custom, leave to elect another, and 

 having obtained it under your seal, we, William Wyndesor, 

 president of the convent, on the 29th of August, in our 

 chapter-house assembled, and making a chapter, taking to us 



