OF SELBORNE 301 



LETTER XXIV. 



BISHOP Wayjieflete's efforts to continue the Priory still proved 

 unsuccessful ; and the convent, without any canons, and for some 

 time without a prior, was tending swiftly to it's dissolution. 



When Sharp's, alias Glastonbury's, priorship ended does not 

 appear. The bishop says that he had been obliged to remove 

 some priors for mal-administration : but it is not well explained 

 how that could be the case with any, unless with Sharp ; because 

 all the others, chosen during his episcopate, died in their office, 

 viz. Morton and Fairwise ; Berne only excepted, who relinquished 

 twice voluntarily, and was moreover approved of by Wayneflete 

 as a person of integrity. But the way to shew what ineffectual 

 pains the bishop took, and what difficulties he met with, will be 

 to quote the words of the libel of his proctor Radulphus Langley, 

 who appeared for the bishop in the process of the impropriation 

 of the Priory of Selborne. The extract is taken from an attested 

 copy. 



"Item that the said bishop dicto prioratui et personis ejus- 

 "dem pie compatiens, sollicitudines pastorales, labores et dili- 

 " gentias gravissimas quam plurimas, tarn per se quam per suos, 

 " pro reformatione premissorum impendebat : et aliquando illius 

 "loci prioribus, propter malam et inutilem administrationem, 

 "et dispensationem bonorum predicti prioratus, suis demeritis 

 " exigentibus, amotis ; alios priores in quorum circumspectione 

 " et diligentia confidebat, prefecit : quos tamen male se habuisse 

 " ac inutiliter administrare, et administrasse, usque ad presentia 

 " tempora post debitam investigationem, &c. invenit." So that 

 he despaired with all his care "statum ejusdem reparare vel 

 " restaurare : et considerata temporis malicia, et preteritis timendo 

 "et conjecturando futura, de aliqua bona et sancta religione 

 " ejusdem ordinis, &c. juxta piam intentionem prime vi fundatoris 

 " ibidem habend. desperatur." 



William Wainfleet, bishop of Winchester, founded his college 

 of Saint Mary Magdalene, in the university of Oxford, in or about 

 the year 1459 ; but the revenues proving insufficient for so large 

 and noble an establishment, the college supplicated the founder 

 to augment it's income by putting it in possession of the estates 

 belonging to the Priory of Selborne, now become a deserted 

 convent, without canons or prior. The president and fellows 

 state the circumstances of their numerous institution and scanty 



