OF SELBORNE 319 



The staurum, or live stock, is quite ridiculous, consist- 

 ing only of " 2 vacce, i sus, 4 hoggett. et 4 porcell." 

 viz. two cows, one sow, four porkers, and four pigs. 



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 ne gremio nostro, in nostra religione probatum 

 et expertem, licenciam vestram paternalem cum plena 

 libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose." — Reg. 

 Waynflete, tom. I. 



Instead of the license requested we find next a com- 

 mission "custodie prioratus de Selebourne durante vaca- 

 tione," 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 Southwark, March i, 1453-4, and the seventh of 

 his consecration. 



After this 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 colla- 



