OF SELBORNE, 469 



Religious houses might sometimes be distressed in their 

 revenues by fires among their buildings, or large dilapida- 

 tions from storms, &c. ; but no such accident appears to 

 have befallen the Priory of Selborne. Those situate on 

 public roads, or in great towns, where there were shrines 

 of saints, were liable to be intruded on by travellers, de- 

 votees, and pilgrims; and were subject to the importunity 

 of the poor, who swarmed at their gates to partake of doles 

 and broken victuals. Of these disadvantages some convents 

 used to complain, and especially those at Canterbury; but 

 this priory, from its sequestered situation, could seldom be 

 subject to either of these inconveniences, and therefore we 

 must attribute its frequent debts and embarrassments, well 

 endowed as it was, to the bad conduct of its members, and 

 a general inattention to the interests of the institution. 



LETTER XVI. 



EAUFORT was Bishop of Winchester from 

 1405 to 1447; and yet, notwithstanding this 

 long episcopate, only torn. i. of Beaufort's 

 Register is to be found. This loss is much 

 to be regretted, as it must unavoidably make 

 a gap in the History of Selborne Priory, and perhaps in the 

 list of its priors. 



In 1410 there was an election for a prior, and again in 

 1411. 



In vol. i. p. 24, of Beaufort's Register, is the instrument 

 of the election of John Wynchestre to be prior the sub- 

 stance as follows : 



Richard Elstede, senior canon, signifies to the bishop 

 that brother Thomas Weston, the late prior, died October 

 18th,1410, and was buried November llth. That the bishop's 

 license to elect having been obtained, he and the whole 

 convent met in the chapter-house, on the same day, about 

 the hour of vespers, to consider of the election : that 

 brother John Wynchestre, then sub-prior, with the general 



