would have been deemed the most impious of frauds, Bishop Wainfleet, having by statute ordained four obits for himself to be celebrated in the chapel of Magdalen College, enjoined in one of them a special collect for the anniversary of Peter de Rupibus, with a particular prayer—"Deus Indulgentiarum.”
The college also sent Nicholas Langrish, who had been a chantry priest at Selborne, to celebrate mass for the souls of all that had been benefactors to the said priory and college, and for all the faithful who had departed this life.
N. 356. Thomas Knowles, presidens, etc.—"damus et concedimus Nicholao Langrish quandum capellaniam, vel salarium, sive alio quocunque nomine censeatur, in prioratu quondam de Selborne pro termino 40 annorum, si tam diu vixerit. Ubi dictus mag. Nicholaus celebrabit pro animabus omnium benefactorum dicti prioratus et coll. nostri, et omnium fidelium defunctorum. Insuper nos, &c. concedimus eidem ibidem celebranti in sustentationem suam quandam annualem pensionem sive annuitatem octo librarum, &c.—in dicta capella dicti prioratus—concedimus duas cameras contiguas ex parte boreali dicte capelle, cum una coquina, et cum uno stabulo conveniente pro tribus equis, cum pomerio eidem adjacente voc. le Orcheyard—Preterea 26s. 8d. per ann. ad inveniendum unum clericum ad serviendum sibi ad altare, et aliis negotiis necessariis ejus.”—His wood to be granted him by the president on the progress.—He was not to absent himself beyond a certain time; and was to superintend the coppices, wood, and hedges.—Dat. 5to. die Julii. an°. Hen. VIIIvi. 36°.” [viz. 1546.]
Here we see the priory in a new light, reduced, as it were, to the state of a chantry, without prior and without canons, and attended only by a priest, who was also a sort of bailiff or woodman, his assistant clerk, and his female cook. Owen Oglethorpe, president, and Magd. Coll. in the fourth year of Edward VI., viz. 1551, granted an annuity of ten pounds a year for life to Nich. Langrish, who, from the preamble, appears then to have been fellow of that society: but, being now superannuated for business, this pension is granted him for thirty years, if he should live so long. It is said of him—“cum jam sit provectioris etatis qua mut,” etc.
