OF SELBORNE 311 



At this distance of time it seems matter of great wonder 

 to us how these societies, so nobly endowed, and whose 

 members were exempt by their very institution from every 

 means of personal and family expense, could possibly run 

 in debt without squandering their revenues in a manner 

 incompatible with their function. 



Religious houses might sometimes be distressed in their 

 revenues by fires among their buildings, or large dilapi- 

 dations from storms, etc. ; but no such accident appears 

 to have befallen the Priory at Selborne. Those situate on 

 public roads, or in great towns, where there were shrines 

 of saints, were liable to be intruded on by travellers, 

 devotees, and pilgrims ; and were subject to the impor- 

 tunity of the poor, who swarmed at their gates to partake 

 of doles and broken victuals. Of these disadvantages 

 some convents used to complain, and especially those at 

 Canterbury; but this Priory, from its sequestered situation, 

 could seldom be subject to either of these inconveniences, 

 and therefore we must attribute its frequent debts and 

 embarrassments, well endowed as it was, to the bad conduct 

 of its members, and a general inattention to the interests 

 of the institution. 



LETTER XVI 



BEAUFORT was bishop of Winchester from 1405 to 1447; 

 and yet, notwithstanding this long episcopate, only torn. 

 I. of Beaufort's Register is to be found. This loss is much 

 to be regretted, as it must unavoidably make a gap in the 

 history of Selborne Priory, and perhaps in the list of its 

 priors. 



In 1410 there was an election for a prior, and again in 

 1411. 



In vol. I. p. 24, of Beaufort's Register, is the instrument 

 of the election of John Winchestre to be prior the sub- 

 stance as follows : 



Richard Elstede, senior canon, signifies to the bishop 



