OF SELBORNE. 
333 
LETTER VIL 
I SHALL now proceed to the Triory, which is undoubtedly the 
mofl interefting part of our hiftory. 
The Priory of Selborne was founded by Peter de la Roche, or de 
Rupibus^, one of thofe accompHfhed foreigners that reforted to 
the court of king John, where they were ufually carefled, and met 
with a more favourable reception than ought, in prudence, to have 
been fliown by any monarch to ftrangers. This adventurer was a 
Foi5lev'in by birth, had been bred to arms in his youth, and dif- 
tinguifhed by knighthood. Hiftorians all agree not to fpeak very 
favourably of this remarkable man ; they allow that he v/as poffelT- 
ed of courage and fine abilities, but then they charge him with 
arbitrary principles, and violent condu6l. By his infinuating 
manners he foon rofe high in the favour o(john; and in 1205, 
early in the reign of that prince, was appointed bifhop of M-^in- 
chejlcr. In 1214 he became lord chief julliciary of the 
firfl magiftrate in the ftate, and a kind of viceroy, on whom de- 
pended all the civil affairs in the kingdom; After the death of 
John, and during the minority of his fon Henry, this prelate took 
upon him the entire management of the realm, and was foon 
appointed proteftor of the king and kingdom. 
* See Gs</w/» de PraefulibuS Anglia, Folio. London, 1743. p. 217, 
The 
