188 THE ANTIQUITIES [LETT. 



were the first grants obtained by the Priory in the village of 

 Selborne, after it had subsisted about thirty-nine years : more- 

 over, they explain the nature of the mixed manor still remaining 

 in and about the village, where one field or tenement shall 

 belong to Magdalen College in the University of Oxford, and 

 the next to Norton Powlet, Esq., of Eotherfield House ; and so 

 down the whole street. The case was, that the whole was once 

 the property of Gurdon, till he made his grants to the convent ; 

 since which some belongs to the successors of Gurdou in the 

 manor, and some to the college ; and this is the occasion of the 

 strange jumble of property. It is remarkable that the tenement 

 and crofts which Sir Adam reserved at the time of granting the 

 Plestor should still remain a part of the Gurdon manor, though 

 so desirable an addition to the vicarage that is not as yet 

 possessed of one inch of glebe at home: but of late, viz. in 

 January, 1785, Magdalen College purchased that little estate, 

 which is life-holding, in reversion, for the generous purpose of 

 bestowing it, and its lands, being twelve acres (three of which 

 abut on the churchyard and vicarage garden) as an improve- 

 ment hereafter to the living, and an eligible advantage to future 

 incumbents. 



The year after Gurdon had bestowed the Plestor on the 

 Priory, viz. in 1272, Henry III. King of England died, and 

 was succeeded by his son Edward. This magnanimous prince 

 continued his regard for Sir Adam, whom he esteemed as a 

 brave man, and made him warden, " custos," of the forest of 

 Wolmer. 1 Though little emolument might hang to the appoint- 



1 Since the letters respecting Wolmer Forest and Ayles Holt, from p. 

 14 to p. 27, were printed, the author has been favoured with the following 

 extracts : 



In the " Act of Resumption, 1 Hen. VII." it was provided, that it be not 

 prejudicial to " Harry at Lode, ranger of our forest of Wolmere, to him by 

 oure letters patents before tyme gevyn." Rolls of Parl. vol. vi. p. 370. 



In the 11 Hen. VII. 1495. " Warlham [Wardleham] and the office of 

 forest [forester] of Wolmere " were held by Edmund, Duke of Suffolk. 

 Rolls, ib. 474. 



Act of general pardon, 14 Hen. VIII. 1523, not to extend to " Rich. Bp. of 

 Wynton [Bishop Fox] for any seizure or forfeiture of liberties, &c. within the 

 forest of Wolmer, Alysholt, and Newe Forest ; nor to any person for waste, 



