298 NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE 



Preston produced witnesses, W. Gyfford, S.T.P., John 

 Nele, A.M., John Chapman, chaplain, and Robert Baron, 

 literatus, who were admitted and sworn, when the court 

 was prorogued to the 6th of August; and the witnesses, 

 on the same 5th of August, were examined by the com- 

 missary, "in capella infra manerium de Essher situata 

 secrete et singillatim." Then follow the "literae procura- 

 toriae : " first that of the college, appointing Preston and 

 Langport their proctors, dated August 3oth, 1484 ; then 

 that of the prior and convent of the cathedral of Winton, 

 appointing David Husband and Michael Cleve, dated 

 September 4th, 1484 ; then that of the bishop, appointing 

 W. Gyfford, Radulphus Langley and Will. Cowper, dated 

 September 3d, 1484. Consec. 38. "Quo die adveniente 

 in dicta ecclesia parochiali," appeared, "coram nobis," 

 James Preston to prove the contents of his libel, and ex- 

 hibited some letters testimonial with the seal of the bishop, 

 and these were admitted ; and consequenter Preston pro- 

 duced two witnesses, viz., Dominum Thomam Askforde, 

 nuper priorem dicti prioratus, et Willm. Rabbys, literatum, 

 who were admitted and sworn, and examined as the 

 others, by the commissary; "tune & ibidem assistente 

 scriba secrete & singillatim ; " and their depositions were 

 read and made public, as follows : 



Mr. W. Gyfford, S.T.P., aged 57, of the state of Magd. 

 Coll., &c., &c., as before. 



Mr. John Nele, aged 57, proves the articles also. 



Robert Baron, aged 56. 



Johannes Chapman, aged 35, also affirmed all the five 

 articles. 



Dompnus Thomas Ashforde, aged 72 years " dicit 2 dum . 

 3 um . 4 um . articulos in eodem libello contentos, concern- 

 entes statum dicti prioratus de Selebourne, fuisse et esse 

 veros." 



W. Rabbys, aetat 40 ann., agrees with Gyfford, &c. 



Then follows the letter from the_bishop, " in subsidium 

 probationis," above-mentioned " Willmus, &c., salutem, 

 &c., noverint universitas vestra, quod licet nos prioratui 



