OF SELBORNE 291 



convent : he adds " ac ea sub arcto, et tuto custodiatis, custo- 

 " dirive faciatis " ; as they would answer it to the bishop at their 

 peril. 



In consequence of these proceedings prior Berne, on the last 

 day of February, and the next year, produced a state of the 

 revenues of the Priory, N. 381, called "A paper conteyning the 

 "value of the manors and lands pertayning to the Priory of 

 " Selborne. 4 Edward III. with a note of charges yssuing out 

 "of it." 



This is a curious document, and will appear in the Appendix. 

 From circumstances in this paper it is plain that the sequestration 

 produced good effects ; for in it are to be found bills of repairs 

 to a considerable amount. 



By this evidence also it appears that there were at that juncture 

 only four canons at the Priory ; * and that these, and their four 

 household servants, during this sequestration for their clothing, 

 wages, and diet, were allowed per ann. xxx lib. ; and that the 

 annual pension of the lord prior, reside where he would, was to 

 be x lib. 



In the year 1468, prior Berne, probably wearied out by the 

 dissensions and want of order that prevailed in the convent, 

 resigned his priorship into the hands of the bishop. 



REG. WAYNFLETE, torn. I. pars l ma , fol. 157. 



March 28, A.D. 1468. "In quadam alta camera juxta magnam 

 " portam manerii of the bishop of Wynton de Waltham coram eodem 

 "rev. patre ibidem tune sedente, Peter Berne, prior of Selbome, 

 " ipsum prioratum in sacras, et venerabiles manus of the bishop, viva 

 " voce libere resignavit " : and his resignation was admitted before 

 two witnesses and a notary-public. In consequence, March 29th, 

 before the bishop, " in capella manerii sui ante dicti pro tribunali 

 " sedente, comparuerunt fratres " Peter Berne, Thomas London, 

 William Wyndesor, and William Paynell, alias Stretford, canons 

 regular of the priory, " capitulum, et conventum ejusdem ecclesie 

 " facientes ; ac jus et voces in electione futura prioris dicti prio- 

 " ratus solum et in solidum, ut asseruerunt, habentes " ; and after 

 the bishop had notified to them the vacancy of a prior, with his 

 free license to elect, deliberated awhile, and then, by way of 

 compromise, as they affirmed, unanimously transferred their right 



1 If bishop Wykeham was so disturbed (see Notab. Visitatio] to find the number 

 of canons reduced from fourteen to eleven, what would he have said to have seen 

 it diminished below one third of that number? 



