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 Sel- 

 borne. 



When Waynflete came to the see he found prior Stype, 

 alias Stepe y 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, sacristae 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 

 probably 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 2. osculator. argent. 



" Item i. osculatorium cum osse digiti auricular. Sti. 

 Johannis Baptist&J- 



1 How the convent came by the bone of the little finger of St. John the 

 Baptist does not appear : probably the founder, while in Palestine, purchased it 



276 



