290 THE ANTIQUITIES 



LETTER XIX. 



Stepe died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may suppose 

 pretty far advanced in life, having been prior forty-four years. 



On the very day that the vacancy happened, viz. January 26, 

 1453-4, the sub-prior and convent petitioned the visitor — "vos 

 " unicum levamen nostrum, et spem unanimiter rogamus, quatinus 

 " eligendum ex nobis unum confratrem de gremio nostro, in nostra 

 "religione probatum et expertem, licenciam vestram patemalem 

 " cum plena libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose ". 



Reg. Waynjlete, torn. I. 



Instead of the licence requested we find next a commission 

 "custodie prioratus de Selebourne durante vacatione," addressed 

 to brother Peter Berne, canon-regular of the priory of Selebourne, 

 and of the order of St. Augustine, appointing him keeper of the 

 said priory, and empowering him to collect and receive the profits 

 and revenues, and " alia bona " of the said priory ; and to exercise 

 in every respect the full power and authority of a prior ; but to be 

 responsible to the visitor finally, and to maintain this superiority 

 during the bishop's pleasure only. This instrument is dated 

 from the bishop's manor-house in Southrvark, March 1, 1453-4, 

 and the seventh of his consecration. 



After tliis transaction it does not appear that the chapter of 

 the Priory proceeded to any election ; on the contrary, we 

 find that at six months end from the vacancy the visitor declared 

 that a lapse had taken place ; and that therefore he did confer 

 the priorship on canon Peter Berne. — " Prioratum vacantem et ad 

 "nostram collationem, seu provisionem jure ad nos in hac parte 

 "per lapsum temporis legitime devoluto spectantem, tibi (sc. P. 

 " Berne) de legitimo matrimonio procreato, &c. — conferimus," &c. 

 This deed bears date July 28, 1454. 



Reg. Waynjlete, tom. I. p. 69. 



On February 8, 1462, the visitor issued out a power of seques- 

 tration against the Priory of Selborne on account of notorious 

 dilapidations, which threatened manifest ruin to the roofs, walls, 

 and edifices, of the said convent ; and appointing John Ham- 

 mond, B.D. rector of the parish church of Hetlegh, John Hylling, 

 vicar of the parish church .of Nervton Valence, and Walter Gorfin, 

 inhabitant of the parish of Selborne, his sequestrators, to exact, 

 collect, levy, and receive, all the profits and revenues of the said 



