ufually inferted; though probably they happened about the middle
of the thirteenth century, not long after SaunforiJ became majler|
The firft of thefe is that the 'Templars lhall pay to the priory of
Selborne, annually, the fum of ten fhillings at two half yearly payments
from their chamber, “ camera,” at Sudington, “ per manum
“ preceptoris, vel ballivi noftri, qui pro tempore fuerit ibidem,”
till they can provide the prior and canons with an equivalent in
lands or rents within four or five miles of the faid convent. It is
alfo further agreed that, if the Templars lhall be in arrears for one
year, that then the prior lhall be empowered to diftrain upon their
live ftock in Bradefeth. The next matter was a grant from Robert
de Saunford to the priory for ever, of a good and fufficient road,
“ chem im m capable of admitting carriages, and proper for the
drift of their larger cattle, from the way which extends from
Sudington' towards Blakemere, on to the lands which the convent
poflefles in Bradefeth.
The third tranfaclion (though for want of dates we cannot fay
which happened firft and which laft) was a grant from Robert
Samford to the priory of a tenement and its appurtenances in the
village of Selborne, given to the Templars by Americas de Kafcit.
This property, by the manner of defcribing it,— “ totum tene-
“ mentum cum omnibus pertinentiis fuis, fcilicet in terris, &
“ bominibus, in pratis & pafcuis, & nemoribus,” &c. feems to
have been no inconfiderable purchafe, and was fold for two hundred
marks fterling, to be applied for the buying of more land
for the fupport of the holy war.
P Americas Vafci, by his name, mnft have been an Italian, and had been probably a
.foldier o f fortune, and one of Gurdon's. captains. Americas Vefpucio, the perfon who
gave name to the new world, was a Florentine.
Prior
Prior John is mentioned as the perfon to whom Vafci’i land is
conveyed. But in Willis’% lift there, is no prior John till 1339,
feveral years after the diffolution of the order of the Templars in
1312; fo that unlefs Willis is wrong, and has omitted a prior
John fince 1262, (that being the date of his firft prior) thefe
tranfadtions muft have fallen out before that date.
I find not the leaft traces o f any concerns between Gurdon and
the Knights Templars; but probably after his death his daughter
Johanna might have, and might- bellow, Temple on that order in
fupport of the holy land: and, moreover, {he feems to have been
moving from Selborne when Ihe fold her goods and chattels to the
priory, as mentioned above.
Temple no doubt did belong to the knights, as may be afferted,
not only from it’s name, but alfo from another, corroborating
circumftance of it’s being Hill a manor tithe-free; “ for, by virtue
“ of their order,” fays Dr. Blackftone, “ the lands of the Knights
“ Templars were privileged by the pope with a difcharge from
“ tithes/’
Antiquaries have been much puzzled about the terms preceptores
and preceptorium, not being able to determine what officer or edifice
was meant. But perhaps all the while' the paffage quoted
above from one of my papers “ per manum preceptoris vel ballivi
“ noftri, qui pro tempore fuerit ibidem,” may help to explain the
difficulty. For i f it be allowed here that preceptor and ballivus
are fynonymous words, then the brother who took on him that
office refided in the houfe of the Templars at Sudington, a preceptory;.
where he was their preceptor, fuperintended their affairs, received
their money; and, as in the inftance there mentioned, paid from
their chamber, “ earnera,” as direfled: fo that, according to this
explanation,