ANTIQUITIES OF SELBOKNE. 239 



N". 298: Pope Martin's bull touching the revoking of certaine things 

 alienated from the Priory of Seleburne. Pontif. sui ann. i. 



" Martinus Eps. servus servorum Dei. Dilecto filio Priori de Suthvale* 

 Wyntonien, dioc. Salutem & apostolicam ben. Ad audientiam 

 nostram pervenit quam tarn dilecti filii prior et conventus monasterii 

 de Seleburn per Priorem soliti gubernari ordinis S a . Augustini "Winton, 

 dioc. quam de predecessores eorum decimas, terras, redditus, domos, 

 possessiones, vineas,f et quedam alia bona ad monasterium ipsum 

 spectantia, datis super hoc litteris, interpositis juramentis, factis 

 renuntiationibus, et penis adjectis, in gravem ipsius monasterii 

 lesionem nonnullis clericis et laicis, aliquibus eorum ad vitam, 

 quibusdam vero ad non modicum tempus, & aliis perpetuo ad 

 firinam, vel sub censu annuo concesserunt ; quorum aliqui dicunt super 

 hiis a sede aplica in communi forma confirmationis litteras impetrasse. 

 Quia vero nostra interest lesis monasteriis subvenire [He the Pope 

 here commands] ea ad jus et proprietatem monasterii studeas legitime 

 revocare/' &c. 



The conduct of the religious had now for some time been generally 

 bad. Many of the monastic societies, being very opulent, were become 

 voluptuous and licentious, and had deviated entirely from their original 

 institutions. The laity saw with indignation the wealth and possessions 

 of their pious ancestors perverted to the service of sensuality and 

 indulgence, and spent in gratifications highly unbecoming the purposes 

 for which they were given. A total disregard to their respective rules 

 and discipline drew on the monks and canons a heavy load of popular 

 odium. Some good men there were who endeavoured to oppose the 

 general delinquency ; but their efforts were too feeble to stem the 

 torrent of monastic luxury. As far back as the year 1381, Wickliffe's 

 principles and doctrines had made some progress, were well received 

 by me,n who wished for a reformation, and were defended and main- 

 tained by them as long as they dared, till the bishops and clergy began 

 to be so greatly alarmed, that they procured an act to be passed by 

 which the secular arm was empowered to support the corrupt doctrines 

 of the church ; but the first Lollard was not burnt until the year 1401. 



The wits also of those times did not spare the gross morals of the 

 clergy, but boldly ridiculed their ignorance and profligacy. The most 

 remarkable of these were Chaucer, and his contemporary Robert 

 Langelande, better known by the name of Piers Plowman. The 

 laughable tales of the former are familiar to almost every reader; 

 while the visions of the latter are but in few hands. With a quotation 

 from the Passus Decimus of this writer I shall conclude my letter ; 

 not only on account of the remarkable prediction therein contained, 

 which carries with it somewhat of the air of a prophecy ; but also as 

 it seems to have been a striking picture of monastic insolence and 



* Should have been no doubt Southwick, a priory under Portsdown. 



t Mr. Barriiigton is of opinion that anciently the English vinea was in almost 

 every instance an orchard ; not perhaps always of apples merely, but of other 

 fruits ; as cherries, plums, and currants. We still say a plum or cherry-orchard. 

 See Archfologia, vol iii. 



In the instance above, the Pope's secretary might insert vineas merely because 

 they were a species of cultivation familiar to him in Italy. 



