358 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE, 



LETTER XII. 



THE ladies and daughters of Sir Adam Gurdon were not the 

 only benefactresses to the Priory of Selborne ; for, in the year 

 1281, Ela Longspee obtained masses to be performed for her 

 soul's health ; and the prior entered into an engagement that one 

 of the convent should every day say a special mass for ever for 

 the said benefactress, whether living or dead. She also engaged 

 within five years to pay to the said convent one hundred marks 

 of silver for the support of a chantry and chantry-chaplain, who 

 should perform his masses daily in the parish church of Selborne.* 

 In the east end of the south aisle there are two sharp^pointed 

 Gothic niches ; one of these probably was the place under which 

 these masses were performed ; and there is the more reason to 

 suppose as much, because, till within these thirty years, this 

 space was fenced off with Gothic wooden railing, and was known 

 by the name of the south chancel.f 



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 contingat me in solucione 

 predicte pecunie annis predictis in parte aut in toto deficere, 

 quod absit ; concede et oblige 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 pre- 

 dictam faciendam possent nos compellere." And again" Et si 

 contingat dictos religiosos labores SQU expensas facere circa pre- 

 dictam pecuniam, seu circa partem dicte pecunie ; volo quod 

 dictorum 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 pre- 



* A chantry was a chapel joined to some cathedral or parish chnrch, and endowed with annual 

 revenues for the maintenance of one or more priests to sing mass daily for the soul of the founder, 

 and others 



t For what is said more respecting this chantry see Letter III. of these Antiquities. Mention 

 is made f a Nicholas Langrish, capellanus tie Selhorne, in the time of Henry VIII. \\ as he 

 rhiintry-chaplain to Ela Longspee, whose masses were probahly continued to the time of the re- 

 formation ? More will be said of this person hereafter. 



