OF SELBOPvNE. 
357 
Prior John is mentioned as the perfon to whom Fafus land is 
conveyed. But in lVlllis% lift there is no prior John till 1339, 
feveral years after the diffolution of the order of the 'Templars in 
13 12; fo that unlefs is wrong, and has omitted a prior 
John fmce 1262, (that being the date of his firft prior) thele 
tranfactions muft have fallen out before that date. 
1 find not the leaft traces of any concerns between Gurdon and 
the Knights T'emplars; but probably after his death his daughter 
Johanna might have, and might beftow, Temple on that order in 
fupport of the holy land : and, moreover, fhe feems to have been 
moving from Selkorne when fhe fold her goods and chattels to the 
priory, as mentioned above. 
Temple no doubt did belong to the knights, as may be affertcd, 
not only from it's name, but alfo from another corroborating 
circumftancc of it's being Hill a manor tithe-free; for, by vu'tue 
" of their order," fays Dr. Blaekfione, " the lands of the Knights 
" Templars were privileged by the pope with a difcharge trora 
tidies." 
Antiquaries have been much puzzled about the terms prcccptores 
and preceptorium, not being able to determine what ofHcer or edi- 
fice was meant. But perhaps all the while the naflage quoted 
above from one of my papers " per manum preccptoris vel halli-VL 
noftri, qui pro tempore fuerit ibidem," may help to explain the 
difficulty. For if it be allowed here that preceptor and balUvus 
are fynonym.ous words, then the brother who took on him that 
office refided in the houfe of the Templars at Sudington, a precepiory; 
where he was their preceptor, fuperintended their affairs, received 
their money; and, as in the inilance there mentioned, paid from 
their chamber, carncra" as direded : fo that, according to this 
expl-inanon, 
