256 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



The solicitude expressed by the donor plainly shows her 

 piety and firm persuasion of the efficacy of prayers for the 

 dead ; for she seems to have made every provision for the 

 payment of the sum stipulated within the appointed time ; 

 and to have felt much anxiety lest her death, or the neglect 

 of her executors or assigns, might frustrate her intentions, 

 " Et si contingat me in solucione perdicte pecunie annis 

 predictis in parte aut in toto deficere, quod absit ; concedo 

 et obligo pro me et assignatis meis, quod Vice-Comes . . . 



Oxon et qui pro tempore fuerint, per omnes terras 



et tenementa, et omnia bona mea mobilia et immobilia 

 ubicunque in balliva sua fuerint inventa ad solucionem 

 predictam faciendam possent nos compellere." And again 

 " Et si contingat dictos religiosos labores seu expensas 

 facere circa predictam pecumam, seu circa partem dicte 

 pecunie; volo quod dictorum religiosorum impense et 

 labores levantur ita quod predicto priori vel uni canoni- 

 corum suorum superhiis simplici verbo credatur sine 

 alterius honere probacionis ; et quod utrique predictorum 

 virorum in unam marcam argenti pro cujuslibet distrincione 

 super me facienda tenear. Dat. apud Wareborn die sabati 

 proxima ante festum St. Marci evangeliste, anno regni regis 

 Edwardi tertio decimo." l 



But the reader, perhaps, would wish to be better in- 

 formed respecting this benefactress, of whom as yet he has 

 heard no particulars. 



The Ela Longspee, therefore, above-mentioned, was a 

 lady of high birth and rank, and became countess to 

 Thomas de Newburgh, the sixth earl of Warwick : she was 

 the second daughter of the famous Ela Longspee, Countess 

 of Salisbury, by William Longspee, natural son of King 

 Henry II., by Rosamond. 



time of Henry VIII. Was he chantry-chaplain to Ela Longspec, whose masses 

 were probably continued to the time of the Reformation ? More will be said of 

 this person hereafter. [G. W.] 



1 Ancient deeds are often dated on a Sunday, having been executed in 

 churches and church-yards for the sake of notoriety, and for the conveniency of 

 procuring several witnesses to attest. [G. W.] 



