296 WHITE 



Stepe, still living, who had been elected as long ago as the year 

 1411. 



Among my documents I find a curious paper of the things 

 put into the custody of Peter Bernes, the sacrist, and especially 

 some relics : the title of this evidence is " No. 50, Indentura 

 prioris de Selborne quorundam tradit Petro Bernes, sacrista 

 ibidem, ann. Hen. VI. . . . una cum confiss. ejusdem Petri 

 script." The occasion of this catalogue, or list of effects, being 

 drawn between the prior and sacrist, does not appear, nor the 

 date when ; only that it happened in the reign of Hen. VI. 

 This transaction probably took place when Bernes entered on 

 his office ; and there is the more reason to suppose that to be 

 the case because the list consists of vestments and implements 

 and relics, such as belonged to the church of the Priory and 

 fell under the care of the sacrist. For the numerous items I 

 shall refer the curious reader to the Appendix, and shall just 

 mention the relics, although they are not all specified ; and 

 the state of the live-stock of the monastery at that juncture. 



" Item 2. osculator. argent. 



" Item i. osculatorium cum osse digiti auricular. Sti.Johan- 

 nis Baptists. 1 



"Item i. parvam crucem cum V. reliquiis. 



" Item i. anulum argent, et deauratum St. Edmundi? 



" Item 2. osculat. de coper. 



"Item i. junctorium St. Ricardi* 



" Item i. pecten St. Ricardi"* 



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

 of " 2 vacce, i sus, 4 hoggett. et 4 porcell." viz., two cows, one 

 sow, four porkers, and four pigs. 



NOTES 



1 How the convent came by the bone of the little finger of St. John the 

 Baptist does not appear: probably the founder, while in Palestine, pur- 

 chased it among the Asiatics, who were at that time great traders in relics. 

 We know from the best authority that as soon as Herod had cruelly be- 

 headed that holy man "his disciples came and took up the body and buried 

 it, and went and told Jesus." Matt. iv. 12. Farther would be difficult to 

 say. G. W. 



a November 2oth in the calendar, Edmund, king and martyr, in the Qth 

 century. See also a Sanctus Edmundus in Godwin, among the archbishops 

 of Canterbury, in the I3th century; his surname Rich, in 1234. G. W. 



