ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE 299 



coram eodem rev. patre ibidem tune sedente, Peter Berne, 

 prior of Selborne, ipsum prioratum in sacras, et venerabiles 

 manus of the bishop, viva voce libere resignavit : and his 

 resignation was admitted before two witnesses and a notary 

 public. In consequence, March 29th, before the bishop, in 

 capella manerii sui ante dicti pro tribunali sedente, comparu- 

 erunt fratres " Peter Berne, Thomas London, William Wyn- 

 desor, and William Paynell, alias Stretford, canons regular of 

 the Priory, "capitulum, et conventum ejusdem ecclesie faci- 

 entes; ac jus et voces in electione futura prioris dicti prioratus 

 solum et in solidum, ut asseruerunt, habentes ; " and after the 

 bishop had notified to them the vacancy of a prior, with his 

 free license to elect, deliberated awhile, and then, by way of 

 compromise, as they affirmed, unanimously transferred their 

 right of election to the bishop, before witnesses. In conse- 

 quence of this the bishop, after full deliberation, proceeded, 

 April /th, "in capella manerii sui de Waltham," to the election 

 of a prior ; " et fratrem Johannem Morton, priorem' ecclesie 

 conventualis de Reygate dicti ordinis S u . Augustini Wynton. 

 dioc. in priorem vice et nomine omnium et singulorum canoni- 

 corum predictorum elegit, in ordine sacerdotali, et etate licita 

 constitutum, etc." And on the same day, in the same place, 

 and before the same witnesses, John Morton resigned to the 

 bishop the priorship of Reygate viva voce. The bishop then 

 required his consent to his own election : " qui licet in parte 

 renitens tanti reverendi patris se confirmans," obeyed, and 

 signified his consent oraculo vive vocis. Then was there a 

 mandate citing any one who would gainsay the said election 

 to appear before the bishop or his commissary in his chapel 

 at Farnham on the second day of May next. The dean of the 

 deanery of Aulton then appeared before the chancellor, his 

 commissary, and returned the citation or mandate dated April 

 22nd, 1468, with signification, in writing, of his having pub- 

 lished it as required, dated Newton Valence, May 1st, 1468. 

 This certificate being read, the four canons of Selborne ap- 

 peared and required the election to be confirmed ; et ex super 

 abundanti appointed William Long their proctor to solicit in 

 their name that he might be canonically confirmed. John 

 Morton also appeared, and proclamation was made ; and no 



