220 ^'OTICES OF the priory of southwick,

on Sunday, the 5tli of October, 1339, the invaders seized the town of Southampton, while the inlialjitants were at chnrch, phmdercd, and ahnost totally destroyed it by fire. " In con- sideration of the damages and grievances," thus states the grant, " which the prior and convent have sustained by burn- ings and destructions committed in their manors, possessions, and benefices near the sea, by his foreign enemies hostilely invading those places ; and, in consideration also of the heavy charges which they have sustained, and do daily sustain, by the resort of himself, his nobles, and others, to the priory, on their passage towards parts beyond the sea," Edward granted to them the lands of Crowker and Farlyngton, with right of free warren, and the aclvowson of the church of Farlyngton, which had come into his hands, as an escheat, by the for- feiture of the celebrated Hugh le Despencer, his father's unhappy favourite, and were then held for life by John de Montgomery. In this reign also the ])riory was enriched by the bounty of that greatest of founders and benefactors, William of Wykeham ; he founded in it five chantries, for the pros- perous state of King Edward III., for the souls of John and Sibil, the founder's father and mother, for the soul of the same king, and for his own after death, and for all the faithful departed. To perform the service of these chantries, he con- stituted live canonries, in addition to the number already existing in the j)riory. He endowed them with the manors of Bnrhunt, Hcrberd, and Herbelyn, which he had purchased for £400, of Luke de Ponynges and Isabel his wife ; having obtained the king's licence for their alienation. The manor of Herbelyn was held of the king in capite, on condition of finding a man armed with an hakcton, hauberk, bacinet, iron gloves, and lance, to keep guard at the east gate of the castle of Portchester in time of war, for fifteen days. William of Wykeham was consecrated bishop of Win- chester October 10, 1367. His statutes for these chantries are dated October 3, 1309. The priory of Suthwyk .was therefore, in all ])robal)ility, the first place in his diocese which partook of the liberality of that numificent prelate. There uuist liave been some reason why he should have selected this cliurch so eaily in his ej)iscopate fen- such a mark of favour. l*V()Ui tli(; recoi-ds of the prioiy we learn a fact, which I be- lieve has hitherto cscai)ed notice, and which becomes highly