ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 341 



LETTER XVIII. 



WILLIAM of Waynflete became bishop of Winchester in the year 

 1447, and seems to have pursued the generous plan of Wykeham in 

 endeavouring to reform the priory of Selborne. 



When Waynflete came to the see he found prior Stype, alias 

 Stepe, still living, who had been elected as long ago as the year 

 1411. 



Among my documents I find a curious paper of the things put 

 into the custody of Peter Bernes the sacrist, and especially some 

 relics : the title of this evidence is " No. 50, Indentura prioris de 

 Selborne quorundam tradit Petro Bernes, sacrista ibidem, ann. 



Hen. VI una cum confiss. ejusdem Petri Script." The 



occasion of this catalogue or list of effects, being drawn between 

 the prior and sacrist does not appear, nor the date when ; only 

 that it happened in the reign of Hen. VI. This transaction prob- 

 ably took place when Bernes entered on his office ; and there is 

 the more reason to suppose that to be the case, because the list 

 consists of vestments and implements, and relics, such as belonged 

 to the church of the priory, and fell under the care of the sacrist. 

 For the numerous items I shall refer the curious reader to the 

 Appendix, and shall just mention the relics, although they are not 

 all specified ; and the state of the live stock of the monastery at 

 that juncture. 



" Item 3. osculator, argent. 



''Item i. osculatorium cum osse digiti auricular. Sti. Johannis 

 Baptist** 



" Item i. parvam crucem cum V. reliquiis. 



" Item i. anulum argent, et deauratum St. Edmundi.^ 



" Item 2. osculat. de coper. 



* How the Onvent came by the bme rf the little finger of St. John the Baptist does 

 n^t -appear: probably the founder, while in Palestine, purchased it among the Asiatics, 

 who were at that time great traders in relics. We know from the best authority that as 

 soon as Herod had cruelly beheaded that holy man "his disciples came and took up the 

 body and buried it, and went and tcld Jesus." Matt. iv. 12. Farther would be difficult 

 to say. 



t November 20, in the calendar, Edmund king and martyr, in the Qth century. See also 

 a Sanctus Edmundus in Godwin, among the archbishops of Canterbury, in the i3th 

 century ; his surname Rich, in 1234. 



