ANTIQUITIES OF SELBOKNE. 
211 
Among my documents I find a curious paper of the things put into 
the custody of Peter Bernes the sacrist, and especially some relics : 
the title of this evidence is " No. 50, Indentura \ prioris de Sel- 
borne quorundam tradit Petro Bernes, sacrista ibidem, ann. Hen. 
YI una cum confiss. ejusdem Petri script." The occasion of 
this catalogue or list of effects, being drawn between the prior and 
sacrist does not appear, nor the date when ; only that it happened in 
the reign of Hen. YI. This transaction probably took place when 
Bernes entered on his office ; and there is the more reason to suppose 
that to be the case, because the list consists of vestments and imple- 
ments, and relics, such as belonged to the church of the priory, and 
fell under the care of the sacrist. For the numerous items I shall refer 
the curious reader to the appendix, and shall just mention the relics, 
although they are not all specified ; and the state of the live stock of 
the monastery at that juncture. 
"Item 2. osculator. argent. 
''Item 1. osculatorium cum osse digiti auricular. — 8ti. Johannis 
Baptistce* 
" Item 1. parvam crucem cum Y. reliquiis. 
*'Item 1. anulum argent, et deauratum St. Edmundi.f 
'' Item 2. osculat. de coper. 
Item 1. junctorium St. Ricardi.X 
" Item 1. pecten St. RicardiJ' § 
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. 
OLD COINS. 11 
* How the Convent came by the bone of the little finger of St. John the 
Baptist does not appear : probably the founder, while in Palestine, purchased it 
among the Asiatics, who were at that time great traders in relics. We know from 
the best authority that as soon as Herod had cruelly beheaded that holy man 
"his disciples came and took up the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus." 
— Matt. iv. 12. Farther would be difficult to say. 
t November 20, in the calendar, Edmund king and martyr, in the 9th 
century. See also a Sanctus Edmundus in Godwin, among the archbishops of 
Canterbury, in the 13th century ; his surname Rich, in 1234. 
X April 3, ibid. Richard Bishop of Chichester, in the 13th century, his 
surname De la Wich in 1245. 
Junctorium, perhaps a joint or limb of St. Richard; but what particular joint 
the religious were not such osteologists as to specify. This barbarous word was 
not to be found in any dictionary consulted by the author. 
§ "Pecten inter ministeria sacra recensetur, quo scil. sacerdotes ac cleric!, 
antequam in ecclesiam 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. 
II These with the key and hinge, p. 240, are kept in the old manor house, and 
are shown to visitors by the hospitable inmates. This was the site of Selborne 
priory, and the relics have been dug up at various times in the vicinity. 
