256 THE ANTIQUITIES 



On February 1, 1740, Duncombe Bristowe, D.D. was instituted 

 to this living. What benefactions this vicar bestowed on the 

 parish will be best explained by the following passages from his 

 will: — "Item, I hereby give and bequeath to the minister and 

 " churchwardens of the parish of Selboum, in the county of Soulh- 

 " ampton, a mahogany table, which I have ordered to be made 

 " for the celebration of the Holy Communion ; and also the sum 

 " of thirty pounds, in trust, to be applied in maimer following ; 

 " that is, ten pounds towards the charge of erecting a gallery at 

 " the west end of the church ; and ten pounds to be laid out for 

 " cloathing, and such like necessaries, among the poor (and es- 

 " pecially among the ancient and infirm) of the said parish : and 

 " the remaining ten pounds to be distributed in bread, at twenty 

 " shillings a week, at the discretion of John White, esq. or any of 

 " his family, who shall be resident in the said parish." 



On November 12, 1758, Andrew Etty, B.D. became vicar. 

 Among many useful repairs he new-roofed the body of the 

 vicarage-house ; and wainscoted, up to the bottom of the win- 

 dows, the whole of the chancel ; to the neatness and decency of 

 which he always paid the most exact attention. 



On September 25, 1784, Christopher Taylor, B.D. was inducted 

 into the vicarage of Selhome. 



LETTER VII. 



I SHALL now proceed to the Priory, which is undoubtedly the 

 most interesting part of our history. 



The Priory of Selbome was founded by Peter de la Roche, or de 

 Rupibus,^ one of those accomplished foreigners that resorted to 

 the court of king John, where they were usually caressed, and 

 met with a more favourable reception than ought, in prudence, 

 to have been shown by any monarch to strangers. This adventurer 

 was a Poidevin by birth, had been bred to arms in his youth, and 

 distinguished by knighthood. Historians all agree not to speak 

 very favourably of this remarkable man ; they allow that he was 

 possessed of courage and fine abilities, but then they charge him 

 with arbitrary principles, and violent conduct. By his insinuat- 

 ing manners he soon rose high in the favour of John ; and in 

 1205, early in the reign of that prince, was appointed bishop of 



1 See Godwin de Prsesulibus Angliae. Folio. London, 1743, p. 217. 



