376 
ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 
LETTER XIX. 
Stepe died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may sup- 
pose pretty far advanced in hfe, 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, tom. I. 
Instead of the licence 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 exer- 
cise 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 instrument 
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 the 
priorship on canon Peter Berne. — "Prioratum vacantem et ad 
nostram coUationem, seu provisionem jure ad nos in hac parte 
per lapsum temporis legitime devolutu spectantem, tibi (sc. P. 
Berne) de legitimo matrimonio procreato, &c. — conferimus," &c. 
This deed bears date July 28, 1454. 
Reg. Waynflete, tom I. p. 69. 
On Februarys, 1462, the visitor issued out a power of seques- 
tration 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 Ham- 
mond, B. D. rector of the parish church of Hetlegh, John 
Hylling, vicar of the parish church of Newton Valence, and Wal- 
ter Gorfin, inhabitant of the parish of Selborne, his sequestrators, 
to exact, collect, levy, and receive, all the profits and revenues of 
