“Item i. anulum argent, et deauratum St. Edmundi.*
“Item 2. osculat. de coper.
“Item 1. junctorium St. Ricardi.†
“Item 1. pecten St. Ricardi"‡
The staurum, or live stock, is quite ridiculous, consisting only of “2 vacce, 1 sus, 4 hoggett. et 4 porcell.” viz., two cows one sow, four porkers, and four pigs.
LETTER XIX.
Stepe died towards the end of the year 1453, as we may suppose pretty far advanced in life, having been prior forty-four years.
On the very day that the vacancy happened, viz., January 26th 1453-4, the sub-prior and convent petitioned the visitor—“vos unicum levam en nostrum, et spem unanimiter rogamus, quatinus eligendum ex nobis unum confratrem de gremio nostro, in nostra religione probatum et expertem, licenciam vestram paternalem cum plena libertate nobis concedere dignemini graciose.”—Reg. Waynflete, tom. I.
Instead of the license requested we find next a commission “custodie prioratus de Selebourne durante vacatione,” addressed to brother Peter Berne, canon-regular of the priory of Selebourne, and of the order of St. Augustine, appointing him keeper of the
* November 2Oth, in the calendar, Edmund king and Martyr, in the 9th century. See also a Sanctus Edmundus in Godwin, among the archbishops of Canterbury, in the 13th century; his surname Rich, in 1234.
t April 3rd, ibid. Richard Bishop of Chichester, in the 13th century, his surname De la Wich in 1245.
Junctorium, perhaps a joint or limb of St. Richard; but what particular joint the religious were not such osteologists as to specify. This barbarous word was not to be found in any dictionary consulted by the author.
‡ Pecten inter ministeria sacra recensetur, quo scil. sacerdotes ac clerici, antequam in ecclesiam procederent, crines pecterent. E quibus colligitur monachos, tunc temporis, non omnino tonsos fuisse.”—Du FRESNE.
The author remembers to have seen in great farm-houses a family comb chained to a post for the use of the hinds when they came in to their meals.
