ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 33$ 



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 Wynchestre to be prior the substance as 

 follows : 



Richard Elstede, senior canon, signifies to the bishop that 

 brother Thomas Weston, the late prior, died October 18, 1410, and 

 was buried November nth. That the bishop's license to elect 

 having been obtained he and the whole convent met in the 

 chapter-house, on the same day about the hour of vespers, 

 to consider of the election ; that brother John Wynchestre, 

 then sub-prior, with the general consent, appointed the I2th of 

 November, ad horam ejusdem diei capitularem, for the business ; 

 when they met in the chapter-house, post missam de sancto Spiritu, 

 solemnly celebrated in the church; to wit, Richard Elstede, 

 Thomas Halyborne, John Lemyngton, sacrista ; John Stepe, 

 cantor ; Walter Ffarnham, Richard Putworth, celerarius ; Hugh 

 London, Henry Brampton, alias Brompton ; John Wynchestre, 

 senior, John Wynchestre, junior ; then " Proposito primitis 

 verbo Dei," and then ympno "Veni Creator Spiritus" being 

 solemnly sung, cum " versiculo et oratione," as usual, and his letter 

 of license, with the appointment of the hour and place of election 

 being read, alta voce, in valvis of the chapter-house ; John 

 Wynchestre, senior, the sub-prior, in his own behalf, and that of 

 all the canons, and by their mandate, "quasdam monicionem 

 et protestacionem in scriptis redactas fecit, legit, interposuit " 

 that all persons disqualified, or not having right to be 

 present, should immediately withdraw, and protesting against their 

 voting, &c. ; that then having read the constitution of the general 

 council " Quia propter," and explained the modes of proceeding 

 to election, they agreed unanimously to proceed a per viam seu 



