242 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE, 



LETTEE XIX. 



STEPE died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may suppose 

 pretty far advanced in life, having been prior forty -four years. 



On the very day that the vacancy happened, viz., January 26th, 

 1453-4, the sub-prior and convent petitioned the visitor "vos 

 unicum levamen nostrum, et spem unanimiter rogamus, quatinus 

 eligendum ex nobis unum confratrem de gremio nostro, in nostra 

 religione probatum et expertem, licenciam vestram paternalem cum 

 plena libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose." Reg. Waynflete, 

 torn. I. 



Instead of the license requested we find next a commission " custodie 

 prioratus de Selebourne durante vacatione," addressed to brother Peter 

 Berne, canon-regular of the priory of Selebourne, and of the order of 

 St. Augustine, appointing him keeper of the said priory, and empowering 

 him to collect and receive the profits and revenues and " alia bona " of 

 the said priory ; and to exercise in every respect the full power and 

 authority of a prior; but to be responsible to the visitor finally, and to main- 

 tain this superiority during the bishop's pleasure only. This instrument 

 is dated from the bishop's manor-house in Southwark, March 1st,' 

 1453-4 and the seventh of his consecration. 



After this transaction it does not appear that the chapter of the 

 Priory proceeded to any election ; on the contrary, we find that at six 

 months end from the vacancy the visitor declared that a lapse had 

 taken place ; and that therefore he did confer the priorship on canon 

 Peter Berne. "Prioratum vacantem et ad nostrum collationem, seu 

 provisionem jure ad nos in hac parte per lapsum temporis legitime 

 devoluto spectantem, tibi (sc. P. Berne) de legitimo matrimonio pro- 

 creato, &c. conferimus,"&c. This deed bears date July 28th, 1454. 

 Reg. Waynflete, torn. I. p. 69. 



On February 8th, 1462, the visitor issued out a power of sequestra- 

 tion against the priory of Selborne on account of notorious dilapidations, 

 which threatened manifest ruin to the roofs, walls, and edifices, of the 

 said convent ; and appointing John Hammond, B. D., rector of the 

 parish church of Hetlegh, John Hylling, vicar of the parish church of 

 Newton Yalence, and Walter Gorfin, inhabitant of the parish of 

 Selborne, his sequestrators, to exact, collect, levy, and receive, all the 

 profits and revenues of the said convent : he adds " ac ea sub arcto, 

 et tuto custodiatis, custodirive faciatis ; " as they would answer it to 

 the bishop at their peril. 



In consequence of these proceedings Prior Berne, on the last day ol 

 February, and the next year, produced a state of the revenues of the 

 Priory, No. 381, called " A paper conteyning the value of the manors 

 and lands pertayning to the Priory of Selborne, 4 Edward III., with 

 a note of charges yssuing out of it." 



This is a curious document, and will appear in the Appendix. 

 From circumstances in this paper it is plain that the sequestration 



