254 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 



John Chapman, chaplain, and Bobert 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 procuratoriae : " first that of the 

 college, appointing Preston and Langport their proctors, dated August 

 30th, 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 3rd, 1484. Consec. 38. 

 " Quo die adveniente in dicta ecclesia parochiali," appeared, " coram 

 nobis," James Preston to prove the contents of his libel, and exhibited 

 some letters testimonial with the seal of the bishop, and these were 

 admitted; and consequenter Preston produced two witnesses, viz., 

 Dominum Thomam Ashforde, nuper priorem dicti prioratus, et Willm. 

 Eabbys, 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. 



Kobert 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, concernentes statum dicti prioratus 

 de Selbourne, fuisse et esse veros." 



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



Then follows the letter from the bishop, " in subsidium probationis," 

 abovementioned " Willmus, &c., salutem, &c., noverint universitas 

 vestra, quod licet nos prioratui de Selbourne, &c. pie compacientes 

 sollicitudines pastorales, labores, diligentias quam plurimas per nos & 

 commissarios nostros pro reformatione status ejus impenderimus, justicia 

 id poscente; nihilominus tamen," &c., as in the article to "desperatur," 

 dated " in manerio nostro de Esher, Aug. 3d., 1485, & consec. 39." 

 Then on the 6th of August, Preston, in the presence of the other 

 proctors, required that they should be compelled to answer ; when they 

 all allowed the articles, " fuisse & esse vera ; " and the commissary, 

 at the request of Preston, concluded the business, and appointed 

 Monday, August 8th, for giving his decree in the same church of Esher ; 

 and it was that day read, and contains a recapitulation, with the sentence 

 of union, &c., witnessed and attested. 



As soon as the president and fellows of Magdalen college had obtained 

 the decision of the commissary in their favour, they proceeded to suppli- 

 cate the pope, and to entreat his holiness that he would give his sanction 

 to the sentence of union. Some difficulties were started at Rome ; but 

 they were surmounted by the college agent, as appears by his letters 

 from that city. At length Pope Innocent V1IL, by a bull* bearing 



* There is nothing remarkable in this bull of Pope Innocent, except the state- 

 ment of the annual revenue of the Priory of Selborne, which is therein estimated 



