242 
ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 
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 26th, 
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 main- 
tain this superiority during the bishop's pleasure only. This instrument 
is dated from the bishop's manor-house in Southwark, March 1st,' 
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 coUationem, seu 
provisionem jure ad nos in hac parte per lapsum temporis legitime 
devoluto spectantem, tibi (sc. P. Berne) de legitime matrimonio pro- 
create, &c. — conferimus,"&c. This deed bears date July 28th, 1454. — 
Keg. Waynflete, tom. I. p. 69. 
On February 8th, 1462, the visitor issued out a power of sequestra- 
tion against the priory of Selborne on account of notorious dilapidations, 
which threatened manifest ruin to the roofs, walls, and edifices, of the 
said convent ; and appointing John Hammond, B. D., rector of the 
parish church of Hetlegh, John Hylling, vicar of the parish church of 
Kewton Yalence, and Walter Gorfin, inhabitant of the parish of 
Selborne, his sequestrators, to exact, collect, levy, and receive, all the 
profits and revenues of the said convent : he adds " ac ea sub arcto, 
et tuto custodiatis, custodirive faciatis ; " as they would answer it to 
the bishop at their peril. 
In consequence of these proceedings Prior Berne, on the last day ot 
February, and the next year, produced a state of the revenues of the 
Priory, No. 381, called "A paper conteyning the value of the manors 
and lands pertayning to the Priory of Selborne, 4 Edward III., with 
a note of charges yssuing out of it." 
This is a curious document, and will appear in the Appendix. 
From circumstances in this paper it is plain that the sequestration 
