XIII.] OF SELBORNE. 199 



of the famous Ela Longspee, Countess of Salisbury, by William 

 Longspee, natural son of King Henry II. by Rosamond. 



Our lady, following the steps of her illustriouj mother, 1 " WHS 

 a great benefactress to the University of Oxford, to the canons of 

 Oseney, the nuns of Godstow, and other religious houses in 

 Oxfordshire. She died very aged in the year 1300, 2 and was 

 buried before the high altar in the abbey church of Oseney, at 

 the head of the tomb of Henry D'Oily, under a flat marble, on 

 which was inlaid her portraiture, in the habit of a vowess, 

 engraved on a copper-plate." EDMONSON'S History and Genea- 

 logical Account of the Grevilles, p. 23. 



LETTER XIII. 



THE reader is here presented with the titles of five forms 

 respecting the choosing of a prior : No. 108. " Charta petens 

 licentiam elegendi prelatum a Domino episcopo Wintoniensi : " 

 " Forma licentie concesse : " " Forma decreti post electionem 

 conficiendi : " 108. "Modus procendendi ad electionem per 

 formam scrutinii : " et " Forma ricte presentandi electum." 

 Such evidences are rare and curious, and throw great light 

 upon the general monastico-ecclesiastical history of this kingdom, 

 not yet sufficiently understood. 



In the year 1324 there was an election for a prior at Selborne ; 

 when some difficulties occurring, and a devolution taking place, 

 application was made to Stratford, who was Bishop of Win- 

 chester at that time, and of course the visitor and patron of the 

 convent at the spot above mentioned. 3 



1 Ela Longspee, Countess of Salisbury, in 1232, founded a monastery at 

 Lacock, in the county of Wilts, and also another at Hendon, in the county 

 of Somerset, in her widowhood, to the honour of the Blessed Virgin and St. 

 Bernard. CAMDEN. 



- Thus she survived the foundation of her chantry at Selborne fifteen years. 

 About this lady and her mother consult Dugdale's Baronage, i. 72, 175, 

 177. Dugdale's Warwickshire, i. 383. Leland's Itin. ii. 45. 



3 Stratford was Bishop of Winchester from 1323 to 1333, when he was 

 translated to Canterbury. 



