240 THE ANTIQUITIES [LETT. 



probably some on its other several manors. 1 The mill at the 

 Priory was in use within the memory of man, and the ruins of 

 the mill-house were standing within these thirty years : the pond 

 and dam, and miller's dwelling, still remain. As the stream was 

 apt to fail in very dry summers, the tenants found their situation 

 very distressing, for want of water, and so were forced to aban- 

 don the spot. This inconvenience was probably never felt in 

 old times, when the whole district was nothing but woodlands : 

 and yet several centuries ago there seem to have been two or 

 three mills between Well-head and the Priory. For the reason 

 of this assertion, see Letter XXIX. to Mr. Barrington. 



Occasional mention has been made of the many privileges 

 and immunities enjoyed by the convent and its priors ; but a 

 more particular statement seems to be necessary. The author 

 therefore thinks this the proper place, and before he concludes 

 these antiquities, to introduce all that has been collected by the 

 judicious Bishop Tanner, respecting the Priory and its advan- 

 tages, in his " Notitia Monastica," a book now seldom seen, on 

 account of the extravagance of its price ; and being but in a few 

 hands cannot be easily consulted. 2 He also adds a few of its 

 many privileges from other authorities : the account is as 

 follows (Tanner, page 166) : 



SELEBURNE. 



A Priory of black canons, founded by the often-mentioned 

 Peter de Rupibus, Bishop of Winchester, A.D. 1233, and dedi- 

 cated to the Blessed Virgin Mary : but was suppressed and 

 granted to William Wainfleet, Bishop of Winchester, who made 

 it part of the endowment of St. Mary Magdalen College in Ox- 

 ford. The Bishops of Winchester were patrons of it. [Pat. 17. 



1 Thomas Knowles, president, &c. aim. Hen. 8vi xxiii. [viz. 1532.] demised 

 to J. Whitelie their mills, &c. for twenty years. Kent xxiiis. iiiid Ac- 

 cepted Frewen, president, &c. ann. Caroli xv. [viz. 1640.] demised to Jo. 

 Hook and Elizabeth, his wife, the said mills. Kent as above. 



2 A few days after this was written a new edition of this valuable work 

 was announced, in the month of April of the year 1787, as published by Mr. 

 Nasmith. 



