ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 331 



noisy tumultuous huntings ; or to keep any hounds, by them- 

 selves or by others, openly or by stealth, within the convent, 

 or without.* 



In Item 12th he forbids the canons in office to make their 

 business a plea for not attending the service of the choir ; since by 

 these means either divine worship is neglected or their brother 

 canons are over-burdened. 



By Item I4th we are informed that the original number of canons 

 at the priory of Selborne was fourteen ; but that at this visitation 

 they were found to be let down to eleven. The visitor therefore 

 strongly and earnestly enjoins them that, with all due speed 

 and diligence, they should proceed to the election of proper 

 persons to fill up the vacancies, under pain of the greater 

 excommunication. 



In Item I7th the prior and canons are accused of suffering, 

 through neglect, notorious dilapidations to take place among their 

 manorial houses and tenements, and in the walls and inclosures of 

 the convent itself, to the shame and scandal of the institution ; they 

 are therefore enjoined, under pain of suspension, to repair all 

 defects within the space of six months. 



Item 1 8th charges them with grievously burthening the said 

 priory by means of sales, and grants of liveriesf and corrodies.J 



The bishop, in Item igth, accuses the canons of neglect and 

 omission with respect to their perpetual chantry-services. 



Item 20th. The visitor here conjures the prior and canons not to 

 withhold their original alms, " eleemosynas j" nor those that they 

 were enjoined to distribute for the good of the souls of founders 

 and benefactors : he also strictly orders that the fragments and 

 broken victuals, both from the hall of their prior and their common 

 refectory, should be carefully collected together by their eleemosy- 

 narius, and given to the poor without any diminution ; the officer 

 to be suspended for neglect or omission. 



* Considering the strong propensity in human nature towards the pleasures of the chase, 

 it is not to be wondered that the canons of Canterbury should languish after hunting, when 

 from their situation so near the precincts of Woolmer Forest, the k.ng's hounds must have 

 been often in hearing, and sometimes in sight from their windows. If the bishop was so 

 offended at these spDrting-canjns, what would he have said to our modern fox-hunting 

 divines? 



t Liberationes, or liberaturse, allowances of corn, &c., to servants, delivered at certain 

 times and in certain quantities, as clothes were among the allowances from religi* us houses 

 to their dependants. See the corrodies granted by Croyland Abbey. Hist, of Cray land, 

 Appendix No. XXXIV. 



" It is not improbable that the word in after-ages came to be conlned to the uniform 

 of the retainers or servants of the great, who were hence called livery servants." SIR 

 JOHN CULLUM-"S Hist, of Hawsted. 



\ A corrody is an alljwance to a servant living in an abbey or priory. 



