A history of the Hospital of St. John in Northampton / by R.M. Serjeantson.

  • Serjeantson, R. M.
Date:
1913
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: A history of the Hospital of St. John in Northampton / by R.M. Serjeantson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    53/150 page 35
    Magdalene, my chaplain, in free, pure and perpetual alms, my lodging (hospieiu7)i) in Northampton with the whole plot of land {area) per- taining thereto, and a rent of five shillings of the gift of Warner (?) Tyard, for the construction and foundation of a Hospital for the reception and refi’eshment {reo’eadonem) of the poor, infirm and orphans, except such as are incurable (pei'petiio languidis) or leprous ; and I appoint the same AVymimd Master and Warden of my Hospital aforesaid, and of his Co-brethren, who in time to come shall join them- selves {adhereiicitim) to him; enjoining upon him and his successors that they diligently minister the comforts of human-kindness {human- itatis solada impendant) to the infirm poor who shall throng together to the same; that they pray continually for me and my relations (parentihm), and their benefactors, and all the faithful living and departed ; [and] that they hearken {intendant) with humble obedience to me while I live, and after my decease to the lord bishop of Lincoln and his successors, as true and perpetual patron of the aforesaid Hospital. F arewell. ’ And [the charter] is sealed with a seal that still remains entu’e. The said Master exhibited the book of the statutes ordained for the dole (exhibendis) of seven poor in the same, and also a bull of Pope Nicholas IV. concerning the non-payment of tenths from new-tilled fields (novalibiis) and the fodder {nutrivientis) of their beasts. And there are maintained indifferently well {satis honeste) in the same Hospital eight poor folk according to the foundation thereof. Dan Thomas Stafford, Fellow in the same, is not at all diligent in choir at the times of divine service, but sometimes absents himself from choir, and occupies himself elsewhere as he pleases. The same dan Thomas is seneschal, and is engaged in the business {versatur in negodis) of the college (sic !) His lordship enjoined that henceforth he make his attendance {fadat presendam suam) m choir whenever he can, and that, when possible, he shall transact his business at other times. An account is not rendered yearly in the same, but yet all the Fellows of the house say that the Master in the same manages the business of that monastery (sic) sufficiently well, with advantage and prudence. Nor has anyone of them ever known that Hospital better ordered, and governed than it now is. The lord vicar general willed that by the rendering of an account, the Fellows of the college be given more assurance concerning the state of the house. The eight [poor folk] of the Ho.spital are marked with the cross, and so they have crosses set upon their several outer garments. And
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