“ In Dei nomine Amen,” &c. A. D. 1478, Maii 19. In the
chapter-houfe for the elect ion of a prior for that day, on the free
refignation of Peter Berne, having celebrated in the firft place mafs
at the high altar “ De fpiritu faiifto,” and having called a chapter
by tolling a bell, ut moris eft; in the prefence of a notary and
witnefies appeared perfonally Peter Berne, 'Thomas Ajhford, Stephen
Clydgrove, and John AJhtdn, prelbyters, and Henry Canwoodx, in chapter
afiembled ; and after linging the hymn ‘ V<em Creator Spirits,’
“ cum verficulo et oratione ‘ Dens qul corda;’ declarataque li-
“ centia Fundatoris et patroni; futurum priorem eligendi con-
“ ceffa, et conftitutione confilii generalis que incipit * §htia
“ propter’ declaratis; viifque per quas poflent ad hanc ele&ionem
“ procedere,” by the decretorum doSiorem, whom the canons had
taken to direft them— they all and every one “ dixerunt et affir-
“ marunt fe nolle ad aliquant viam procedere :— but, for this turn
only, renounced their right, and unanimoufly transferred their
power to the bilhop, the ordinary of the place, ptomifing to receive
whom he fhould provide; and appointed a prodtor to prefent the
inftrument to the bilhop under their feal; and required their notary
to draw it up in.due form, &c. ftrbfcribed by the notary.
After the vifitor had fully deliberated on the matter, he proceeded
to the choice of a prior, and eledted, by the following inftrument,
John Sharp, alias Glaftenbury. ■ -' . '
x Here we fee that all the canons were changed in fix years 5 and that there was quite
a new chapter, Berne excepted, between 1472 and 1478; for, inftead o f Wyndefor,
London, and Stratfeld, we find Ajhford, Glydgro-ve, Afoton, and Cawwood, all new men,,
who were foon gone in their turn off the ftage, and are heard o f no more. For, in
fix years after, there feem to have been no canons at all,
Fol.
Fol. 56. P r o v i s i o P r i o r i s per E pm.
ivillmus, See. to our beloved brother in Christ John Sharp,
alias Glaftenbury,. Ecclefie conventualis de Bruton, of the order of
St. Auftin, in the diocefe o f B'ath and Wells, canon-regular—falutem
&c. “ De tue circumfpedtionis induftria plurimum confidentes,
tc.te virum providum et diferetum, literarum feientia, et moribus
“ merito commendandum,” &c.— do appoint you prior— under
our feal. “ Dat. in manerio noftro de Suthwaltham, May 20,” 1478,
“ et noftre Conlec. 31.
Thus did the. bilhop, three times out of the four that he was at
liberty to nominate, appoint a prior from a diftance, a ftranger
to the place, to govern the convent of Selborne, hoping by this
method to have broken the cabal,, and to have interrupted that
habit of mifmanagement that had pervaded the fociety: but he
acknowledges, in an evidence lying before us, that he. never did
fuceed to his wilhes with refpedt to thofe late governors,— “ quos
‘ 1 tamen male fe habuiffe, et inutiliter adminiftrare, et adminir-
“ ftrafle ufque ad prefentia tempqra poll debitam inveftigationem,
“ &c. invenit.” The only time that he appointed from among
the canons, he made choice of Peter Berne, for whom he had conceived
the greateft efteem and regard.
When prior Berne firft relinquilhed his. priorlhip, he returned
again to his former condition of canon, in which he continued for
Fome years: but when he was re-chofen, and had abdicated afecond
time, we find him in a forlorn ftate, and in danger of being reduced
to beggary, had not the bilhop of IFinchefter interpofed in
his favour, and with great humanity infilled on a provifion for
him