252 THE ANTIQUITIES 



emblem of mortality by their funereal appearance. In the south 

 of England every church-yard almost has it's tree, and some two ; 

 but in the north, we understand, few are to be found. 



The idea of R. C. that the yew-tree afforded it's branches instead 

 of palms for the processions on Palm-Sunday, is a good one, and 

 deserves attention. See Gent. Mag. Vol. L. p. 128. 



LETTER VI. 



The living of Selhome was a very small vicarage ; but, being in 

 the patronage of Magdalen-college, in the university of Oxford, 

 that society endowed it with the great tithes of Selbome, more 

 than a century ago : and since the year 1758 again with the great 

 tithes of Oakhanger, called Bene's parsonage : so that, together, it 

 is become a respectable piece of preferment, to which one of the 

 fellows is always presented. The vicar holds the great tithes, by 

 lease, under the college. The great disadvantage of this living is, 

 that it has not one foot of glebe near home.^ 



ITS PAYMENTS ARE, £ S. d. 



King's books — — — — 8 2 1 



Yearly tenths — — — — l6 2| 



Yearly procurations for Blackmore and Oakhanger \ n ■, n 



Chap : with acquit : — — — j 



Selbome procurations and acquit : — — 9 



I am unable to give a complete list of the vicars of this parish 

 till towards the end of the reign of queen Elizabeth ; from which 

 period the registers furnish a regular series. 



In Domesday we find thus — " De isto manerio dono dedit Rex 

 " Radfredo presbytero dimidiam hidam cum ecclesia." So that 

 before Domesday, which was compiled between the years 1081 

 and 1086, there ^ was an officiating minister at this place. 



After this, among my documents, I find occasional mention of 

 a vicar here and there : the first is 



Roger, instituted in 1 254. 



In 1410 John Lynne was vicar of Selbome. 



In 1411 Hugo Tybbe was vicar. 



' At Bene's, or Bin's parsonage there is a house and stout barn, and seven acres 

 of glebe. Bene's parsonage is three miles from the qhurch. 

 ' [ffere in orig.] 



