Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/394

372 compelling his vassals to bring their corn to be ground at his mill according to an old custom. He had also, according to Bishop Tanner, secta molendini de strete; but the purport of strete, we must confess, we do not understand. Strete, in old English, signifies a road or highway, as Watling Strete, etc., therefore the prior might have some mill on a high road. The priory had only one mill originally at Selborne; but, by grants of lands, it came possessed of one at Durton, and one at Oakhanger, and probably some on its other several manors.* The mill of the priory was in use within the memory of man, and the ruins of the mill-house were standing within these thirty years: the pond and dam, and miller’s dwelling still remain. As the stream was apt to fail in very dry summers, the tenants found their situation very distressing, for want of water, and so were forced to abandon the spot. This inconvenience was probably never felt in old times, when the whole district was nothing but woodlands: and yet several centuries ago there seem to have been two or three mills between Well Head and the priory. For the reason of this assertion, see Letter XXIX. to Mr. Barrington.

Occasional mention has been made of the many privileges and immunities enjoyed by the convent and its priors; but a more particular state seems to be necessary. The author, therefore, thinks this the proper place, before he concludes these antiquities, to introduce all that has been collected by the judicious Bishop Tanner, respecting the priory and its advantages, in his "Notitia Monastica,” a book now seldom seen, on account of the extravagance of its price, and being but in few hands cannot be easily consulted.† He also adds a few of its many privileges from other authorities:—the account is as follows. Tanner, page 166.