ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 359 



dictorum virorum in unam marcam argenti pro cujuslibet distrin- 

 cione super me facienda fcenear. Dat. apud,Wareborn die sabati 

 proxima ante festum St. Marci evangeliste, anno regni regis 

 Edwardi tertio decimo."* 



But the reader perhaps would wish to be better informed 

 respecting this benefactress, of whom as yet he has heard no 

 particulars. 



The Ela Longspee therefore above-mentioned was a lady of 

 high birth and rank, and became countess to Thomas de New- 

 burgh, the sixth earl of Warwick : she was the second daughter 

 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 illustrious mother, f was a 

 great benefactress to the university of Oxford, to the canons of 

 Oseneyy the nuns of Godstow, and other religious houses in Ox- 

 fordshire. She died very aged in the year 13004 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 Genealogical Account 

 of the Grevilles, p. 23. 



LETTER XIII. 



THE reader is here presented with five forms respecting the 

 choosing of a prior. Such evidences are rare and curious, and 



* Ancient deeds are often dated on a Sunday, having been executed in churches and church- 

 yards for the sake of notoriety, and for the conveniency of procuring several witnesses to attest. 



t Ela Longspee, countess of Salisbury, in 1232 founded a monastery at Lacock, iu the county 

 of Wilts, and also another at Hendon, iu the county of Somerset, in her widowhood, to the honour 

 of the Blessed Virgin and St. Bernard. Caaiden. 



J 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. 



CAKTA PETENS LICENTIAM KLIGENDI PKKLATUM A DOMINO EPISCOPO WINTONIKNSI. 

 Defuncto prelate forma petendi licenlwm eligendi. 



Domino et patri in Christo reverendo domino et P. Dei gratia Wintoniensi episcopo, devoti sui 

 filii supprior monastem de S. Wintoniensis dioceseos salutem cum subjectione humili, reveren- 

 tiam, et honorem. Monasterio nostro de S. in quo sub protectione vestra vivimus, sub habitu 

 regulari, Prioris solacio destitute per mortem bone memorie, &c. quondam Prioris nostri, qui tali 

 hora in aurora diem clausit extremum, vestre paternitati reverende et dominatioui precipue istum 

 nostrum et nostri monasterii casum flebilem cum merore nunciamus ; ad vestre paternitatis re- 

 {ugium fratres nostres A. et C. cauonicos destinantes, rogando et petendo devote quatenus nobis 

 dignemini licenciam tribuere, ut motiasterio predicto, Prioris regimine destitute, providere possi- 



