254 
ANTIQUITIES OF SELBOEXE. 
John Chapman,, chaplain, and Robert Baron, literatus, who were admitted 
and sworn, when the court was prorogued to the 6th of August ; and 
the witnesses, on the same 5th of August, were examined by the com- 
missary, "in capella infra manerium de Essher situata secrete et 
singillatim." Then follow the " literae procuratoriae : " first that of the 
college, appointing Preston and Langport their proctors, dated August 
30th, 1484; then that of the prior and convent of the cathedral of 
Winton, appointing David Husband and Michael Cleve, dated September 
4th, 1484 ; then that of the bishop, appointing W. GyfFord, Radulphus 
Langley and Will. Cowper, dated September 3rd, 1484. Consec. 38°. — 
" Quo die adveniente in dicta ecclesia parochiali," appeared, " coram 
nobis," James Preston to prove the contents of his libel, and exhibited 
some letters testimonial with the seal of the bishop, and these were 
admitted; and consequenter Preston produced two witnesses, viz., 
Dominum Thomam Ashforde, nuper priorem dicti prioratus, et Willm. 
Rabbys, literatum, who were admitted and sworn, and examined as the 
others, by the commissary ; " tunc & ibidem assistente scriba secrete 
& singillatim ; " and their depositions were read and^ made public, 
as follows : — 
Mr. W. Gyfford, S. T. P., aged 57, of the state of Magd. Coll. &c., &c., 
as before. 
Mr. John Nele, aged 57, proves the articles also. 
Robert Baron, aged 56. 
Johannes Chapman, aged 35, also affirmed all the five articles. 
Dompnus Thomas Ashforde, aged 72 years—" dicit 2^^""". 3""^. 4""^ 
articulos in eodem libello contentos, concernentes statum dicti prioratus 
de Selbourne, fuisse et esse veros." 
W. Rabbys, setat 40 ann., agrees with Gyfiford, &c. 
Then follows the letter from the bishop, " in subsidium probationis," 
abovementioned — " Willmus, &c., salutem, kc, noverint universitas 
vestra, quod licet nos prioratui de Selbourne, &c. pie compacientes 
solli($itudines pastorales, labores, diligentias quam plurimas per nos & 
commissarios nostros pro reformatione status ejus impenderimus, justicia 
id poscente ; nihilominus tamen," &c., as in the article — to "desperatur," 
dated "in manerio nostro de Esher, Aug. 3d., 1485, & consec. 39." 
Then on the 6th of August, Preston, in the presence of the other 
proctors, required that they should be compelled to answer ; when they 
all allowed the articles, " fuisse & esse vera • " and the commissary, 
at the request of Preston, concluded the business, and appointed 
Monday, August 8th, for giving his decree in the same church of Esher ; 
and it was that day read, and contains a recapitulation, with the sentence 
of union, &c., witnessed and attested. 
As soon as the president and fellows of Magdalen college had obtained 
the decision of the commissary in their favour, they proceeded to suppli- 
cate the pope, and to entreat his holiness that he would give his sanction 
to the sentence of union. Some difficulties were started at Rome ; but 
they were surmounted by the college agent, as appears by his letters 
from that city. At length Pope Innocent YIIL, by a bull* bearing 
* There is iiotliing remarkable in this bull of Pope Innocent, except the state- 
ment of the annual revenue of the Priory of Selborne, which is therein estimated 
