214 
ANTIQUITIES OT' SELBOENE. 
week, at the discretion of John White, Esq., or any of his family, who 
shall be resident in the said parish." 
On November 12th, 1758, Andrew Etty, B.D., became vicar. Among 
many useful repairs he new-roofed the body of the vicarage-house ; and 
wainscoted, up to the bottom of the windows, the whole of the chancel ; 
to the neatness and decency of which he always paid the most exact 
attention. 
On September 25th, 1784, Christopher Taylor, B.D., was inducted 
into the vicarage of Selborne. 
LETTEE VII. 
I SHALL now proceed to the priory, which is undoubtedly the most 
interesting part of our history. 
The Priory of Selborne was founded by Peter de la Eoche, or de 
Eupibus,"^ one of those accomplished foreigners that resorted to the 
court of King John, where they were usually caressed, and met with a 
more favourable reception than ought, in prudence, to have been shown 
by any monarch to strangers. This adventurer was a Poictevin by 
birth, had been bred to arms in his y outh, and distinguished by knight- 
hood. Historians all agree not to speak very favourably of this 
remarkable man ; they allow that he was possessed of courage and fine 
abilities, but then they charge him with arbitrary principles, and 
violent conduct. By his insinuating manners he soon rose high in the 
favour of John; and in 1205, early in the reign of that prince, was 
appointed bishop of Winchester. In 1214, he became lord chief 
justiciary of England, the first magistrate of 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 Eupibus could not be at rest ; he distinguished 
himself by the splendour and magnificence of his expenses, and 
amused his mind by strengthening fortresses and castles, and by 
* See "Godwin de Prsesulibus Anglic.*' Folio. London, 1743, p. 21 T. 
