524 
THE ANTIQUITIES 
[LETT. 
The staurum, or live stock, is quite ridiculous, consisting 
only of " 2 vacce, 1 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 de gremio nostro, in nostra 
religione probatum et expertem, licenciam vestram paternalem 
cum plena libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose." — Reg. 
Waynflete, torn. i. 
Instead of the license 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 instru- 
ment is dated from the bishop's manor-house in Southwark, 
March 1, 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 
antequain in ecclesiani procederent, crines pecterent. E quibus coUigitur 
monachos, tunc temporis, non omnino tonsos fuisse." — Du Fresne. 
The author remembers to have seen in great farm houses a family 
comb chained to a post for the use of the hinds when they came in to their 
meals. 
