38 
SELBY ABBEY AND ITS BUILDERS. 
Here follow a number of grants of land, not only in the 
surrounding district, but in the counties of Lincoln, Leicester¬ 
shire, and Northamptonshire. Then it goes on to say— 
“And in my gift, I have granted him to hold along with these, all things 
from whatever source, as well, in lands and possessions, as in other offerings, 
which, by the promptings of the Holy Spirit, may be presented by pious 
benefactors, and whatever may be acquired in any way, by right, by 
solicitation, or by purchase; under the royal favour, quietly and freely, 
exempt from all taxation, trouble, and annoyance, as becomes the alms of a 
King and an Abbey of his founding, in endless and perpetual peace.” 
It then goes on to say—“ it is to have its own court with sac, sol, tol and 
team, and all customs of a higher order that the Church of St. Peter at York 
has—and for the evidence or testimony and confirming of this charitable 
gift, for the salvation of my soul and those of my ancestors and successors, 
this charter was given and confirmed in London in the presence of these, 
namely, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux ; Remigius, Bishop of York ; Edward of 
Salisbury,” and several Norman Barons and of the King’s whole court. 
The manor of Selby and the Church belonged to the Archbishop 
of York, but was included in the grant by William to Benedict, 
the first abbot of the newly founded Monastery. 
For long years after the Conquest great numbers of Saxons 
supported themselves in secluded forests, occasionally wandering 
out in search of plunder, or to molest the hated invaders—the 
Normans. It is recorded that a large band of these men, headed 
by one Syva, infested the neighbourhood of Selby, and attracted 
to the Church, with the intention of plunder, an attempt was 
made to lift the door off its hinges to make a forcible entry, but 
the hand of the leader stuck to the wall of the sacred building, and 
there it defied all the attempts of his companions to remove it. 
In the morning he was found by the monks—red handed—and 
after confessing his guilt and promising amendment by an oath, 
he was allowed to go. 
The son of Viscount Hugh was cured of fits by the touch of the 
“ Finger,” and it is said that many other great miracles were 
performed at this time, but the monk, who records all this inter¬ 
esting legend, quaintily says “ that of the many and great miracles 
wrought at this time, the memory of hut few has been preserved.'' 
Benedict was ordained by Thomas, Archbishop of York, 1070— 
1100, who owed his own elevation to the Northern See to the 
Conqueror. During his episcopate York Minster was rebuilt— 
the Norman Minster, of w'hicli only fragments of the Crypt remain. 
The first abbot—Benedict—is said to have erected an orator)’ 
or chapel of wood, and later on added domestic offices to it, also 
