ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 249 



post debitam investigationem, &c., invenit." The only time that he 

 appointed from among the canons, he made choice of Peter Berne, for 

 whom he had conceived the greatest esteem and regard. 



When Prior Berne first relinquished his priorship, he returned again 

 to his former condition of canon, in which he continued for some years ; 

 but when he was re-chosen, and had abdicated a second time, we find 

 him in a forlorn state, and in danger of being reduced to beggary, had 

 not the Bishop of Winchester interposed in his favour, and with great 

 humanity insisted on a provision for him for life. The reason for this 

 difference seems to have been, that, in the first case, though in years, 

 he might have been hale and capable of taking his share in the duty of 

 the convent ; in the second, he was broken with age, and no longer 

 equal to the functions of a canon. 



Impressed with this idea, the bishop very benevolently interceded 

 in his favour, and laid his injunctions on the new-elected prior in the 

 following manner. 



Fol. 56. " In Dei nomine Amen. Nos Willmus, &c., considerantes 

 Petrum Berne," late prior, " in administratione spiritualium et tempo- 

 ralium prioratus laudabiliter vixisse et rexisse ; ipsumque senio et 

 corporis debilitate confractum ; ne in opprobrium religionis mendicari 

 cogatur ; eidem annuam pensionem a Domino Johanne Sharpe, alias 

 Glastonbury, priore moderno," and his successors, and, from the priory 

 or church, to be payed every year during his life, " de voluntate et ex 

 consensu expressis" of the said John Sharp, " sub ea que sequitur forma 

 verborum assignamus :" 



LEADEN TAP. 



1st. That the said prior and his successors, for the time being, honeste 

 exhibebunt of the fruits and profits of the priorship, " eidem esculenta 

 et poculenta/' while he remained in the priory " sub consimili portione 

 eorundem prout convenientur priori," for the time being, ministrari 

 contigerit; and in like manner uni famulo, whom he should choose to 

 wait on him, as to the servientibus of the prior. 



Item. " Invenient seu exhibebunt eidem unam honestam cameram," 

 in the priory, " cum socalibus necessariis seu opportunis ad eundem." 



Item, We will, ordain, &c., to the said P. Berne an annual pension of 

 ten marks, from the revenue of the priory, to be paid by the hands of 

 the prior quarterly. 



The bishop decrees farther, that John Sharp, and his successors, 

 shall take an oath to observe this injunction, and that before their 

 installation. 



