O F S E L B O R N E. 
353 
LETTER XI. 
The Kn'ights Templan who have been mentioned in a former 
letter, had confiderable property in Selbornei and alio a prcceptory 
at Siidinglon, now called Southington, a hamlet lying one mile to 
the 
T^he Military Orders of the Religious. 
" The Knights Hofphalars of St. John of Jemfaktn, afterwards called Knights of 
Rhodes, now of Malta, came into England about the year iioo. i Hen. I. 
The Knights Templars came into England pretty early in Stephen's reign, which com- 
menced 1135. The order was diffolved in 13 12, and their eftales given by a6l of Par- 
liament to the Hojpitalars in 1313. (all in Ediv. II.) though many of their eftates were 
never aftually enjoyed by the faid liofpitalars. Fid. Tanner, p. xxiv. x. 
The commandries of the liofpitalars, and preccptories of Templars, were each fubordi- 
nate to the principal houfe of their refpeftive religion in London. Although thefe are the 
different denominations, wliich Tanner at p. xxviii. affigns to the cells of thefe different 
orders, yet throughout the work very frequent inftances occur of preceptories attributed 
to the liofpitalars ; and if in fome pafFages of Notitia Moiiaji. commandries are attributed 
to the Tetnplars, it is only where the place afterwards became the property of the 
liofpitalars, and fb is there indiiTerently flyled preceptory or cornmanUry; fee p. 243, 263, 
276, 577, 678. But, to account for the firft obferved inaccuracy, it is probable the /z-^-- 
ceptories of the Templars, when given to the Hojpitalars, were ftill vulgarly, however, 
called by their old name of preceptories ; whereas in propriety the focieties of the liofpi- 
talars were indeed (as has been faid) commandries. And fuch deviation from the flrift- 
nels of exprefhon in this cafe might occafion thofe focieties of Hofpitalars alfo to be in- 
differently called preceptories, which had originally been vefted in them, having never be- 
longed to the Templars at all, — See in Archer, p. 609. Tanner, p. 30''- col. i. 720.. 
note e. 
Z z It 
