452 ANTIQUITIES 



which these masses were performed; and there is the more 

 reason to suppose as much, because, till within these thirty 

 years, this space was fenced off with Gothic wooden railing, 

 and was known by the name of the south chancel. 1 



The solicitude expressed by the donor plainly shows her 

 piety and firm persuasion of the efficacy of prayers for the 

 dead ; for she seems to have made every provision for the 

 payment of the sum stipulated within the appointed time; 

 and to have felt much anxiety lest her death, or the neglect 

 of her executors or assigns, might frustrate her intentions. 

 <{ Et si contingat me in solucione predicte pecunie annis 

 predictis in parte aut in toto deficere, quod absit ; concede 

 et oblige pro me et assignatis meis, quod Vice- Comes . . . 

 Oxon. et . . . qui pro tempore fuerint, per omnes terras et 

 tenernenta, et omnia bona mea mobilia et immobilia ubi- 

 cunque in balliva sua fuerint inventa ad solucionem pre- 

 dictam faciendam possent nos compellere." And again 

 " Et si contingat dictos religiosos labores seu expensas 

 facere circa predictam pecuniam, seu circa partem dicte 

 pecunie ; volo quod dictorum religiosorum impense et 

 labores levantur ita quod predicto priori vel uni canoni- 

 corum suorum super hiis simplici verbo credatur sine al- 

 terius honere probacionis ; et quod utrique predictorum viro- 

 rum in unam marcam argenti pro cujuslibet distrincione 

 super me facienda tenear. Dat. apud Wareborn die sabati 

 proxima ante festuin St. Marci evangeliste, anno regni regis 

 Edwardi tertio decimo/' 2 



But the reader perhaps would wish to be better informed 

 respecting this benefactress, of whom as yet he has heard 

 110 particulars. 



The Ela Longspee therefore above-mentioned was a lady 



1 For what is said more respecting this chantry see Letter III. of 

 these "Antiquities." Mention is made of a Nicholas Langrish, capel- 

 lanus de Selborne, in the time of Henry VIII. Was he chantry-chaplain 

 to Ela Longspee, whose masses were probably continued to the time of 

 the Information ? More will be said of this person hereafter. G. W. 



2 Ancient deeds are often dated on a Sunday, having been executed 

 in churches and churchyards for the sake of notoriety, and for the con- 

 veniency of procuring several witnesses to attest. G. W. 



