OF SELBORNE 293 



proceedings as informal ; till at last the matter was compromised 

 that the bishop should again, for that turn, nominate as he had 

 before. But the circumstances of this election will be best 

 explained by the following extract : 



Reg. Waynflete, torn. II. pars l""", fol. 7. 

 Memorandum. A.D. 1471. August 22. 



William Wyndesor, a canon -regular of the Priory of Selbome, 

 having been elected prior on the death of brother John, appeared 

 in person before the bishop in his chapel at South Waltham. He 

 was attended on this occasion by Thomas London and John Bromes- 

 grove, canons, who had elected him. Peter Berne and William 

 Stratfeld, canons, also presented themselves at the same time, 

 complaining that in this business they had been overlooked, and 

 not summoned ; and that therefore the validity of the election 

 might with reason be called in question, and quarrels and dissen- 

 sions might probably arise between the newly chosen prior and 

 the parties thus neglected. 



After some altercation and dispute they all came to an agree- 

 ment with the new prior that what had been done should be 

 rejected and annulled ; and that they would again, for this turn, 

 transfer to the bishop their power to elect, order, and provide 

 them another prior, whom they promised unanimously to admit. 



The bishop accepted of this offer before witnesses ; and on Sep- 

 tember 27, in an inner chamber near the chapel above-mentioned, 

 after full deliberation, chose brother Thomas Fairwise, vicar of 

 Sombome, a canon-regular of Saint Augustine in the Priory of 

 Bruscough, in the diocese of Coventry and Litchfield, to be prior of 

 Selbome. The form is nearly as above in the last election. The 

 canons are again enumerated ; W. Wyndesor, sub-prior, P. Berne, 

 T. London, W. Stratfeld, J. Bromesgrove, who had formed the 

 chapter, and had requested and obtained license to elect, but 

 had unanimously conferred their power on the bishop. In con- 

 sequence of this proceeding, the bishop taking the business upon 

 himself, that the Priory might not suffer detriment for want of a 

 governor, appoints the aforesaid T. Fairwise to be prior. A 

 citation was ordered as above for gainsayers to appear October 

 4thj before the bishop or his commissaries at South Waltham; 

 but none appearing, the commissaries admitted the said Thomas, 

 ordered him to be installed, and sent the usual letter to the 

 convent to render him due obedience. 



