OF SELBORNE 257 



Winchester. In 1214 he became lord chief justiciary of England, 

 the first magistrate in the state, and a kind of viceroy, on whom 

 depended all the civil affairs in the kingdom. After the death 

 of John, and during the minority of his son Henry, this prelate 

 took upon him the entire management of the realm, and was 

 soon appointed protector of the king and kingdom. 



The barons saw with indignation a stranger possessed of all 

 the power and influence, to part of which they thought they had 

 a claim ; they therefore entered into an association against him, 

 and determined to wrest some of that authority from him which 

 he had so unreasonably usurped. The bishop discerned the 

 storm at a distance ; and, prudently resolving to give way to that 

 torrent of envy which he knew not how to withstand, withdrew 

 quietly to the Holy Land, where he resided some time. 



At this juncture a very small part of Palestine remained in the 

 hands of the Christians : they had been by Saladine dispossessed 

 of Jerusalem, and all the internal parts, near forty years before ; 

 and with difficulty maintained some maritime towns and garrisons : 

 yet the busy and enterprising spirit of de Rupibus could not be at 

 rest ; he distinguished himself by the splendour and magnificence 

 of his expenses, and amused his mind by strengthening for- 

 tresses and castles, and by removing and endowing of churches. 

 Before his expedition to the east he had signalized himself 

 as a founder of convents, and as a benefactor to hospitals and 

 monasteries. 



In the year 1231 be returned again to England ; and the very 

 next year, in 1232, began to build and endow the Priory of 

 Selborne. As this great work followed so close upon his return, 

 it is not improbable that it was the result of a vow made during 

 his voyage ; and especially as it was dedicated to the Virgin 

 Mary. Why the bishop made choice of Selborne for the scene of 

 his munificence can never be determined now : it can only be 

 said that the parish was in his diocese, and lay almost midway 

 between Winchester and Famham, or South Waltham and Famham ; 

 from either of which places he could without much trouble over- 

 look his workmen, and observe what progress they made ; and 

 that the situation was retired, with a stream running by it, and 

 sequestered from the world, amidst woods and meadows, and so 

 far proper for the site of a religious house. ^ 



' The institution at Selborne was a priory of Black-Canons of the order of Si. 

 Augustine, called also Canons-Regular. Regular-Canons were such as lived in a 

 conventual manner, under one roof, had a common refectory and dormitory, and 



17 



