LETTER XVIII.
William of Waynflete became bishop of Winchester in the year 1447, and seems to have pursued the generous plan of Wykeham in endeavouring to reform the priory of Selborne.
When Waynflete came to the see he found prior Stype, alias Stepe, still living, who had been elected as long ago as the year 1411.
Among my documents I find a curious paper of the things put into the custody of Peter Bernes the sacrist, and especially some relics: the title of this evidence is “No. 50, Indentura prioris de Selborne quorundam tradit Petro Bernes, sacrista ibidem, ann. Hen. VI . . . . . una cum confiss. ejusdem Petri script.” The occasion of this catalogue or list of effects, being drawn between the prior and sacrist does not appear, nor the date when; only that it happened in the reign of Hen. VI. This transaction probably took place when Bernes entered on his office; and there is the more reason to suppose that to be the case, because the list consists of vestments and implements, and relics, such as belonged to the church of the priory, and fell under the care of the sacrist. For the numerous items I shall refer the curious reader to the Appendix, and shall just mention the relics, although they are not all specified; and the state of the live stock of the monastery at that juncture.
“Item 2. osculator, argent.
“Item i. osculatorium cum osse digitt auricular.—Sti. Johannis Baptistæ*
" Item i. parvam crucem cum V. reliquiis.
* How the Convent came by the bone of the little finger of St. John the Baptist does not appear: probably the founder, while in Palestine, purchased it among the Asiatics, who were at that time great traders in relics. We know from the best authority that as soon as Herod had cruelly beheaded that holy man “his disciples came and took up the body and buried it, and went and told Jesus.”—Matt. iv. 12. Farther would be difficult to say.
