In conformity with this gift, The Corporation regularly pay 87. a year to a Physician, whom they appoint annually, and who, for that consideration, gives his attendance on the poor persons who are resident in the Hospital, called “ Bellott's Hospital." His visits are confined to those poor persons only,—as it would be too much to expect that a Physician would, for so small a salary, attend all the poor resorting to Bath.10 In 1630, JOHN MEREDITH, Citizen and Skinner of London, bequeathed to The Master, Wardens and Commonalty of The Skinners certain premises, upon trust, that they should pay the rents thereof to poor old freemen of The Company, and their widows, who are required not to reside out of the Liberties of the City, without leave first obtained, in writing, otherwise their weekly pensions are to cease," except it be for their travelling to the Bath for the recovery of 10 Rep. iv. p. 297. their health, or upon the like just occasion." 11 THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN, The Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, in Winchester, is conjectured by Dr. MILNER to have been founded by RICHARD TOCLYVE, who was Bishop of Winchester from the year 1173 to the year 1189. From an inspection of the Register of WILLIAM of WYKEHAM, in the Cathedral, The Commissioners found that he, in the year 1400, as Bishop of Winchester, exercised a Visitatorial power over this Hospital,-from whence it may be presumed, in the absence of all documents relating to it's foundation, that the Bishop of Winchester, for the time being, is the Special Visitor of the same, appointed by The Founder,-and it did not, therefore, come within the scope of their Inquiry.12 THE HOSPITAL OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, IN GLOUCESTER. The Hospital of St. Bartholomew, in Gloucester, as a Religious House, appears also to have been of very ancient date. The oldest instrument respecting it, in the possession of The Corporation, is a Charter of King Henry the 3d., dated the 12th of September, in the 49th year of his reign, 1265, whereby he granted to the Brethren of St Bartholomew's 16 ells of land in length and 5 ells in breadth, to be taken out of the street, to enlarge their Chantry. These lands were confirmed to them by a Charter of King Henry the 4th, dated the 19th of November, in the 9th year of his reign, 1408, in which he granted that the Hospital, being of the Foundation of his Progenitors, should be esteemed of the patronage of the Kings of England, with certain privileges and emoluments therein enumerated. Queen ELIZABETH, by her charter, dated the 14th of July 1564, renewed the foundation as an Hospital for poor people, and thereby granted to the Mayor and Burgesses of the City of Gloucester, and their successors for ever, the right of patronage, and all the lands and possessions belonging to the same.13 THE MAISON DIEU, IN NORTH ALLERTON. An indenture of feoffment, dated the 1st of October 1476, recites, that JOHN NORMANBY and THOMAS FOXTON had been enfeoffed by RICHARD MOORE, with certain lands and tenements therein mentioned, in North Allerton and elsewhere, to the intent to establish a Chantry in the Church at North Allerton, and appoint a Chantry Priest, with a salary of 47. 13s. 4d. a year, and also to appoint thirteen poor persons, men and women, to reside and perform hospitality in the tene13 Rep. XIV. p. 6. 1 ments in North Allerton, called "Maison Dieu," according to the will and appointment of the said RICHARD MOORE,—and that such poor persons, out of the rents and profits of the said lands and tenements, should receive annually 20s. to buy sea coals, and find two beds for poor wandering Travellers, for one night, and no longer, and to buy other necessaries for the said poor, at proper times. From the want of documentary evidence, The Commissioners were not able to trace the subsequent history of this Charity, later than the 20th of King HENRY the 8th, 1529,-but it appears to have long subsisted as an Hospital or Almshouse for four poor Widows. Their number has of late years been increased to nine.14 14 Rep. VIII. p. 697, 698. |