198 THE ANTIQUITIES [LETT. 



within these thirty years, this place was fenced off with 

 Gothic wooden railing, and was known by the name of the 

 south chancel. 1 



The solicitude expressed by the donor plainly shows her piety 

 and firm persuasion of the efficacy of prayers for the dead ; for 

 she seems to have made every provision for the payment of the 

 sum stipulated within the appointed time; and to have felt 

 much anxiety lest her death, or the neglect of her executors or 

 assigns, might frustrate her intentions. " Et si comingat me in 

 solucione predicte pecunie annis predictis in parte aut in toto 

 deficere, quod absit ; concede et obligo pro me et assignatis meis, 



quod Vice-Comes . . . Oxon et qui pro tempore fuerint, per 



omnes terras et tenementa, et omnia bona mea mobilia et immo- 

 bilia ubicunque in balliva sua fuerint inventa ad solucionem 

 predictam faciendam possent nos compellere." And again " Et 

 si contingat dictos religiosos labores seu expensas facere circa 

 predictam pecuniam, seu circa partem dicte pecunie ; volo quod 

 dictoram religiosorum impense et labores levantur ita quod pre- 

 dicto priori vel uni canonicorum suorum superhiis simplici 

 verbo credatur sine alterius honere probacionis ; et quod utrique 

 predictorum virorum in unam marcam argent! pro cujuslibet 

 distrincione super me facienda tenear. Dat. apud Wareborn 

 die sabati proxima ante festum St. Marci evangel iste, anno 

 regni regis Edwardi tertio decimo." 2 



But the reader perhaps would wish to be better informed 

 respecting this benefactress, of whom as yet he has heard no 

 particulars. 



The Ela Longspee therefore above mentioned was a lady of 

 high birth and rank, and became countess to Thomas de New- 

 burgh, the sixth Earl of Warwick : she was the second daughter 



1 For what is said more respecting this chantry see Letter III. of these 

 Antiquities. Mention is made of a Nicholas Langrish, capellanus de Selborne, 

 in the time of Henry VIII. Was he chantry-chaplain to Ela Longspee, whose 

 masses were probably continued to the time of the Reformation ? More will 

 be said of this person hereafter. 



2 Ancient deeds are often dated on a Sunday, having been executed in 

 churches and churchyards for the sake of notoriety, and for the conveniency 

 of procuring several witnesses to attest. 



