224 THE ANTIQUITIES [LETT. 



chosen in 1472, he should not long maintain his station ; as old 

 age was then coming fast upon him, and the increasing anarchy 

 and misrule of that declining institution required unusual 

 vigour and resolution to stem that torrent of profligacy which 

 was hurrying it on to its dissolution. We find, accordingly, 

 that in 1478 he resigned his dignity again into the hands of 

 the bishop. 



WAYNFLETB BEG. Fol. 55. 



Resignatio Prioris de Seleborne. 



May 14, 1478. Peter Berne resigned the priorship. May 16, 

 the bishop admitted his resignation " in manerio suo de Wal- 

 tham," and declared the priorship void ; " et priorat. solacio 

 destitutum esse ; " and granted his letters for proceeding to a 

 new election : when all the religious, assembled in the chapter- 

 house, did transfer their power under their seal to the bishop by 

 the following public instrument : 



" In Dei nomine Amen," &c. A.D. 1478, Maii 19. In the chapter- 

 house for the election of a prior for that day, on the free resignation 

 of Peter Berne, having celebrated in the first place mass at the 

 high altar " De spiritu sancto," and having called a chapter by 

 tolling a bell, ut moris est ; in the presence of a notary and wit- 

 nesses appeared personally Peter Berne, Thomas Ashford, Stephen 

 Clydgrove, and John Ashton, presbyters, and Henry Canwood, 1 

 in chapter assembled ; and after singing the hymn " Veni 

 Creator Spiritus," " cum versiculo et oratione ' Deus qui corda ;' 

 declarataque licentia Fundatoris et patroni; futurum priorem 

 eligendi concessa, et constitutione consilii generalis que incipit 

 ' Quiet proptcr ' declaratis ; viisque per quas possent ad hanc 

 electionem procedere," by the decretwum doctorem, whom the 

 canons had taken to direct them they all and every one " dixe- 



1 Here we see that all the canons were changed in six years ; and that there 

 was quite a new chapter, Berne excepted, between 1472 and 1478 ; for, in- 

 stead of Wyndesor, London, and Stratfeld, we find Ashford, Clydgrove, Ash- 

 ton, and Canwood, all new men, who were soon gone in their turn off the 

 stage, and are heard of no more. For, in six years after, there seem to have 

 been no canons at all. 



