L E T T E R XHL
T he reader is here prefented with five forms refpedting the
chufing of a prior; but as they are of fome length they muft he
referved for the Appendix; their titles are N°. 108. “ Charta
“ petens l'ieentiam etegendi prehtttm a Dbmino epifeopo JVmtoni- ic enfi: — ‘ c Forma licentie conceffe :S— vc Forma dedreti poll
“ electionem conficiendi— to 8. “ Modus procedendi ad elec-
“ tioneto per farmain fcrutkui “ Fortrpa ridteprefenSaindi
“ eledtum.” Such evidences are rare and Curious, and throw
great light upon the general monaJlico-ecclefiaJHcal hiftory of this,
kingdom, not yet fufficiently underftood.
In the year 1324 there was an eledtion for a prior at Selberne;
when fome difficulties occurring, and a devolution taking place,
application was made to Stratford, who was bilhop of Winchefter at
that time, and of courfe the vilitor and patron of the convent at
the fpot above-mentioned r.
An Ex trad, from R e g . S t r a t f o r d . IVinton.
P. 4. “ Commiffio fadta fub-priori de Selebourne” by the bilhop
enjoining him to preferve the difeipline of the order in the convent
during the vacancy made by the late death of the prior,
r Stratford was bilhop of Winchefier from *323 to 1333; when he was tranilated to
Canterbuvy.
t o pafipris iplati^), deftitufa,,” ) 4w 4 Mai», ann.
2do fc. of his confecration. [fc. 1324.]
P. 6. j “ Cuftodia Priarqtu^ de tylebttm?, Yactgvtis,” ' porqmjtted
by the bilhop to Nicholas de la • - -, a layman, it belonging to the
bilhop « ratione yepatiopis ejjjf4Wh’? *n rS^4, ibid. « nsgo-
« tium eledtionis de Selebourne. Adta coram Johanne Epifcopo, &c.
“ 1324 in negotio eledtionis de fratre Waltero de Infula concanonico
“ prioratus de Selebournelately eledted by the Tub-prior and
convent, by way of ferutiny: that it appeared to the bilhop, by
certificate from the dean of Alton, that foletnn citation and proclamation
had been made in the church of the convent where the
eledtion was held that any who oppofed the faid election or
eledted Ihould appear.— Some difficulties were ftarted, which the
bilhop over-ruled, and confirmed the eledtion, and admitted t^e
new prior fub hoc forma :—
In Dei nomine Amen. Ego Johannes permiffione divina, &C.
te Walterum de Infula eccle-lie de Selebourne noltre dioeefeos
“ noftrique patronatus. vacantis, eanonieum et cantor em, vtruth
“ utique providum, et dilcretum, literarum feientia preditum,
“ vita moribus et converfatione merito eommendatum, in ordine
“ facerdotali et etate legitima conllitutum, de legitimo matrimonio
“ prejereatum, in ordine et religione Saudi Augujlini de Selebourne
“ expreffe profelfum, in fpiritualibus et temporalibus circumfpec-
“ turn, jure nobis hac vice devoluto in hae parte, in diets ecclefie
de Selebourne' perfedtum priorem; euram et adminiftrstiopem
“ ejufdem tibi in fpiritualibus et temporalibus eommittentes. Dat.
$? apvvd Selebourne XIII kalend. Augufti anno fupradidto.”