OF SELBORNE. 040 



LETTER XXII. 



As prior Berne, when chosen in 1454, held his priorship only 

 to 1468, and then made a voluntary resignation, wearied and 

 disgusted, as we may conclude, by the disorder that pre- 

 vailed in his convent ; it is no matter of wonder that, when 

 re-chosen in 1472, he should not long maintain his station ; 

 as old age was then coming fast upon him, and the increasing 

 anarchy and misrule of that declining institution required 

 unusual vigour and resolution to' stem that torrent of profli- 

 gacy which was hurrying it on to it's dissolution. We find, 

 accordingly, that in 1478 he resigned his dignity again into 

 the hands of the bishop. 



WAYNFLETE REG. fol. 55. 



Resignatio Prioris de Seleborne. 



May 14, 1478. Peter Berne resigned the priorship. May 

 16 the bishop admitted his resignation " in manerio suo de 

 " Waltham, and declared the priorship void; "et priorat. 

 " solacio destitutum esse;" and granted his letters for pro- 

 ceeding to a new election : when all the religious, assembled 

 in the chapter-house, did transfer their power under their 

 seal to the bishop, by the following public instrument. 



" In Dei nomine Amen," &c. A.D. 1478, Maii 19. In the 

 chapter-house for the election of a prior for that day, on the 

 free resignation of Peter Berne, having celebrated in the first 

 place mass at the high altar " De spiritu sancto," and having 

 called a chapter by tolling a bell, ut moris est; in the presence 

 of a notary and witnesses appeared personally Peter Berne, 

 Thomas Ashford, Stephen Clydgrove, and John Ashton, pres- 

 byters, and Henry Canwoodf in chapter assembled ; and after 



* Here we see that all the canons were changed in six years ; and that 

 there was quite a new chapter, Berne excepted, between 1472 and 1478 ; 

 for, instead of Wyndesor, London, and Stratfeld, we find Ashford, Clyd- 



