HOSPITALS
18. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. WULSTAN, WORCESTER
'There is a fayre suburb without Sudbury gate
and it was an hospital called St. Wulstan . . .
some called it a commanderye (fn. 1) where was a
master, priests, and poore men; some say it was
originally of the foundation of the queen.' (fn. 2) Such
is Leland's account of the Hospital of St. Wulstan,
recording the traditional foundation. Camden
accepted this tradition, but the more generally
acknowledged founder was St. Wulstan himself
who probably founded the hospital about 1085.
It then consisted of a master, two chaplains, and
poor brethren whose number was not specified,
until 1441. (fn. 3) They followed the rule of St.
Augustine, professing vows of poverty, chastity,
and obedience, but not bound by the rigidity of
strict monastic life, since the hospital was intended primarily as a charitable institution.
Hence at some period, probably not long after the
foundation, an infirmary for indigent sick and
infirm was established. By 1294 there were
reported to be twenty-two sick persons in the
infirmary, and the hospital undertook to provide
three beds 'in a decent place' in the infirmary
for three indigent chaplains chosen by William
de Molendiniis, a benefactor of the house. These
chaplains were to have food daily with the
brethren, as well as a share of the pittances, ale,
and charities, that were given to the sick and
infirm. (fn. 4) On the death of either of the chaplains
another 'indigens et honestus' was to be chosen
and instituted by the bishop.
Although the hospital relied greatly on private
benefaction for the up-keep of its charitable
works, the founder undoubtedly endowed it with
the ground on which it stood and the lands
adjacent.
The preceptor and brethren of St. Wulstan
had the right of nominating a priest to officiate
in the chapel on their land at Chadwick near
Bunyon, providing the chaplain was approved by
the prior and convent of Worcester, and swore
that he would in no way injure the mother
church of Bromsgrove appropriated to the
Worcester house. He was endowed with the
small tithes only, the rest went to the church of
Bromsgrove, while the preceptor paid 2s. yearly
to the prior and convent and half a pound of
frankincense twice a year to the vicar of Bromsgrove. (fn. 5) Moreover none of the parishioners of
Bromsgrove were allowed to attend the chapel
at Chadwick except the holder of the small
tithes and his family, who should also be obliged
four times in a year, Christmas, Candlemas, Easter,
and Midsummer, to go to the church of Bromsgrove. (fn. 6)
Between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries
private benefactors made frequent gifts chiefly of
lands in or near the city of Worcester, (fn. 7) but the
gifts were often very small, and there is evidence
to prove that the hospital had a sharp struggle
against poverty. By 1535 the temporalities
amounted only to £66 8s. 11d. and the spiritualities to £13 3s. 7d. The final income of the
house, when payment had been made to the
chaplains who prayed for the souls of the various
benefactors, was £63 18s. 10d. (fn. 8) Hence it was
exempted from the payment of certain tithes
in 1275, (fn. 9) and from the increased taxation of
1291, (fn. 10) 1313, (fn. 11) and 1402, (fn. 12) and in 1368 bishop
Wittesleye certified to John de Cabrespinio, the
papal nuncio, that the members of the hospital
would be forced to beg 'if a half or a third or a
fourth part of the fruits of the hospital' should
be taken from them. (fn. 13) This poverty may to
some extent have been caused by the repressive
policy towards the hospital shown by the prior
and convent of Worcester. A complaint made
to the bishop by the hospital in 1312 illustrates
the jealousy existing between the two. The
prior and convent had taken away and detained
St. Wulstan's pastoral staff by which the brethren
of the hospital had been wont to 'seek charities
from well-disposed persons.' The bishop wrote
desiring the prior to return the staff to the
brethren, 'for the better getting of their alms
thereby.' The former answered that St.
Wulstan's staff had 'not been out of their hands
a day nor a night nor an hour,' only the oblations
arising therefrom had been granted to the
hospital, and 'what was a matter of grace was
now asked as a right.' (fn. 14)
However, many of the troubles of the house
arose not from outward misfortune but from internal irregularity. In 1321 Bishop Cobham
bade the master of the hospital make diligent inquiry into the waste of goods and dishonourable
lives of the brethren, and correct 'what is wanting persons and things.' (fn. 15) But in spite of this
warning, waste and irregularity evidently continued in the hospital into the fifteenth century
until in 1441 Bishop Bourchier after a visitation wrote to the master and brethren commenting on the mismanagement of the house under
past preceptors. One of them, William Moore
or Dylew, had made excessive grants of corrodies
and liveries, to the injury of the house. Between
the years 1401-4 no less than eight such grants
are recorded, (fn. 16) and this probably was not the full
number. Thus the bishop forbade the granting
of any corrodies or liveries, but the revenues were
to be used for their proper purposes. The
organization of the institution was stated afresh
since the original charters were lost. There
should be one master at the collation of the
bishop, to be in priest's orders or promoted thereto within a year of his appointment as master.
The said master should have as companions two
chaplains secular, perpetual, or temporal, to
officiate in the hospital for the souls of the
founders and benefactors, receiving yearly from
the preceptor 4 marks and 3½ yards of cloth for
a robe and a competent room, and food and
drink at the master's table. There were to be
five brethren and two sisters who should receive
7d. weekly from the master. (fn. 17)
From 1441 to the time of the dissolution
there is little record of the history of the hospital
except mentions in the registers of occasional visitation and the collation of a preceptor by the bishop.
The papal bull of 21 August, 1524, granting
Wolsey the right to dissolve certain of the
smaller religious houses, among which St. Wulstan's was included, seemed to threaten an early
dissolution for the house. But Wolsey's fall from
power and sudden death brought respite for
a few years. On 27 June, 1534, the master and
inmates of the hospital were among those who
rejected the papal authority, (fn. 18) and in August of
the same year made their formal subscription to
the royal supremacy. (fn. 19) From 1534 to 1539 the
fate of the religious houses was in the balance,
and that of St. Wulstan's among them. In
1539 Master John Bell, a man after the king's
own heart, was promoted to the bishopric of
Worcester, and the hospital handed over to
Richard Morison, a gentleman of the Privy
Chamber, obviously for the purpose of surrender. (fn. 20)
On 20 May, 1540, the final surrender of the
preceptory was made, (fn. 21) evidently under peculiar
conditions. The house and site of the preceptory
with the church steeple and churchyard, the
manor of Chadwick, the appropriate rectories of
Claines and Crowle, and the chapel of St.
Godwald, (fn. 22) were granted to Richard Morison, (fn. 23)
who in the same year wrote to Anthony Denny
of the Privy Chamber, saying Mr. Chancellor
had promised to be very good to him in his
petition that the surrender of the house might
not be reversed, 'but that I may be bound for
ever, as these men shall die, to take new and to
be as much charged as I was, the house being in
the former estate.' (fn. 24) It would almost seem from
this that the charitable work of the dissolved
hospital was to continue, since 'these men' were
presumably sick in the infirmary. In fact there
seems to have been some idea of refounding the
house, since Morison begged that 'the surrender
might not be reversed,' and later in his letter
complained that it would be 'a great shame to
him to be compelled to buy all the household
and chapel stuff again which is now sold.' (fn. 25)
Evidently the idea fell through, for in 1544
Richard Morison made an exchange with the
king of the hospital and its lands, which in 1545
became part of the endowment of Christ Church,
Oxford, (fn. 26) as had been Wolsey's purpose in 1524.
Preceptors of the Hospital of St. Wulstan
Walter de Wredens occurs 1260-70, (fn. 27)
died 1298. (fn. 28)
Peter de Morton occurs 1304 (fn. 29) and 1312. (fn. 30)
Thomas Bromley collated 1313. (fn. 31)
Peter Franceys collated 1341, (fn. 32) occurs
1349. (fn. 33)
David Maynard resigned 1361. (fn. 34)
Robert de Dycleston, or Dycheston, occurs
1361, (fn. 35) resigned 1364. (fn. 36)
Martin Trovel collated 1364. (fn. 37)
Lawrence Foyer of Schryvenham occurs
1369. (fn. 38)
William Rome resigned 1374. (fn. 39)
William Alewy collated 1374. (fn. 40)
William Moore, alias Dylewe, occurs
1386 (fn. 41) -1404. (fn. 42)
Richard Grafton collated 1421. (fn. 43)
Walter London collated 1424, (fn. 44) occurs
1433. (fn. 45)
John Stokes collated 1441, (fn. 46) died 1466. (fn. 47)
Edmund Hecker collated 1466. (fn. 48)
William Vance, or Valence, collated 1467, (fn. 49)
died 1479. (fn. 50)
Thomas Alcock collated 1479, (fn. 51) resigned
1484. (fn. 52)
John Burton collated 1484, (fn. 53) resigned 1503. (fn. 54)
Thomas Alcock collated 1503. (fn. 55)
John Bell occurs 1534, (fn. 56) resigned 1539.
Richard Morison collated 1539, surrendered 1540. (fn. 57)
The common seal of the hospital of St. Wulstan represents a standing figure of St. Wulstan
mitred and holding a pastoral staff in the left
hand, while the right is raised in benediction.
SIGILLU · HOSPICII · WOLSTANI (fn. 58)
19. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. OSWALD, WORCESTER
Although the foundation of the hospital is
usually ascribed to St. Oswald himself, there is
no charter or evidence existing to prove the
truth of the statement. (fn. 59) Leland sums up the
history of the house by saying that it was 'first
erected for monks then infected with leprosy,'
then changed into a hospital, and 'there was a
master, fellows, and poor folks; but of later
tymes it was turned into a free chapel, and
beareth the name of Oswald as a thing dedicated
of old tyme unto him.' This outline is probably
true, but the detail of the history is difficult to
fill in with the scant evidence that survives,
especially of the early existence of the hospital.
The first mention of the house comes when it
had already become a hospital, when in 1268
William de Beauchamp left 10s. for the infirm
of the hospital of St. Oswald. (fn. 60) In 1291 came a
gift by the will of Nicholas Mitton, this time
to 'the brothers of St. Oswald.' (fn. 61) In 1296
William de Molendiniis, who was also a benefactor of St. Wulstan's hospital, died before he
could finish the church he was building to
St. Oswald, evidently in connexion with the
hospital. (fn. 62)
Nothing is known of the early endowment of
the hospital, but by 1291 it possessed half a
virgate of land at Whittington (Worcester),
which was not taxed since it was 'hardly
sufficient for themselves.' (fn. 63) In 1310 a licence
was granted to John Blanket to alienate in
mortmain 10 acres in Northwyck (Northwich
imprint is below) by Worcester to the hospital, (fn. 64)
and in 1334 came a like grant of 100 acres in
Wyke and Northwyck providing the hospital
found two chaplains out of the brethren to
celebrate divine service for the soul of the king
and queen Philippa and various others. (fn. 65) By
1535 the revenues of the hospital amounted to
£13 14s. 4d., (fn. 66) and included rents from the land
in Whittington, from Claines, and from Smite,
now Smite Hill, in the parish of Claines. (fn. 67) With
the other small religious houses St. Oswald's was
exempted from various taxations because its rents
were 'poor and weak.' (fn. 68) In 1419, 1420, and
1421 the bishop granted licence to the quæstors
of the hospital to collect alms for a year for the
support of the same. (fn. 69) In 1468 the hospital was
evidently in need of repairs, and since it could
not pay expenses out of its own funds, indulgence
was granted to all who assisted for one year in
the repair and construction of the buildings. (fn. 70)
The evidence of the episcopal registers shows
that at any rate in the fourteenth century there
was much irregularity among the brethren of the
hospital, and on two occasions after an inquiry
into the state of the house the master was deposed.
In 1321 Bishop Cobham ordered Thomas Bromley, master of St. Wulstan's, and the dean of
Worcester to make inquiry as to the truth of the
report that the brethren of St. Oswald led dissolute lives and wasted the goods of the hospital. (fn. 71)
As a result the master, William de Claines, was
deposed. (fn. 72) In 1394 Robert de la More, as commissary of the bishop, executed a commission
from the same to 'punish and correct the crimes
and excesses of the master and brethren of the
house of St. Oswald,' and to appoint another
master, absolving William Bysseley from the rule
of the house. The latter made a public confession, and was found guilty and unfit to have
the administration of the hospital. (fn. 73) He was
thereupon removed, and David Burnard, a brother
of the house, who had seemingly not taken part
in the late 'crimes and excesses,' was instituted
in his place. (fn. 74) In the election of Thomas Parker
as master in 1454, further provision was made
for the good rule of the house. The same
'swore that he would not alienate nor let to farm
for more than eight years any meadows, lands,
or rents of the hospital without licence of the
ordinary,' and 'that he would guard the statutes
given out for the hospital by the said ordinary.' (fn. 75)
An inquiry made by Bishop Brian in 1356 as
to the right of patronage and the true state of the
hospital gives valuable evidence as to its organization. The archdeacon of the diocese, at the
bishop's request taking the evidence of the
rectors and vicars of the deanery of Worcester,
stated that the patronage of the house belonged
to the sacristan of the Worcester priory; that
the master and brethren, except one master, Robert
Collesbourne (1311), always wore a habit distinct
from the secular; that the said house was neither
portionary nor pensionary, except that they owed
15lb. of wax yearly to the sacristan of Worcester. (fn. 76)
In 1539 Nicholas Udal, then master of the
hospital, leased the same with the chapel, chapelyard, etc., to John Hereford. Thus the house
was saved from the ordinary dissolution, although
its revenue was alienated. The advowson of the
chapel, with the 15 lb. of wax owed to the
sacristan of the Worcester house, was granted
in 1542 to the dean and chapter of Worcester, (fn. 77)
who henceforth presented the masters, except in
the year 1615, when James I. took the patronage
into his own hands, when Mr. Coucher, who
had bought the lands of the hospital, restored the
rents to trustees for the following purposes: £12
a year to his son, £1 to the four poor people in
the four almshouses. From this time the hospital,
having lost its ecclesiastical aspect, has survived as
a charitable institution, which exists at the present
day practically on the lines of its reorganization
in 1664 and 1753.
In 1665, in the bishop's account of the hospitals of the diocese, St. Oswald's was described
as having an annual revenue of £98 9s. from
lands lying in several parcels dispersedly in the
county of Worcester, a certain parcel in the
suburbs of the city of Worcester, the tenements
on which had been burnt down during the late
civil war. Moreover the master, Dr. John Fell,
received an allowance in accordance with the Act
of 1664, and the steward also. Eight poor men
and two poor women were maintained, and
received £8 a year according to the statute. The
master, Dr. Fell, had at his own expense purchased a house 'for the habitation of the said
poor persons, the old hospital being destroyed in
late times of war,' and had settled it upon his
successors for ever. The house, with its repairs
and fencing with brick wall,' cost him £450. (fn. 78)
The Act of 1664 had attempted to secure the
property of the house, empowering the master to
let the lands and tenements for a term of years
not exceeding three lives, or one and twenty years,
and the houses for forty years, reserving on the
said grants or leases 'the best improved value that
the said lands and houses shall be yearly worth
for the respective yearly rents thereof.' In 1681
the revenues were augmented by Thomas Hayes,
who erected six additional rooms to the hospital
and settled £50 a year, arising from a farm called
'Charlstree' and a messuage in 'Stagbatch,' on
the hospital. (fn. 79) About 1825 an inquiry was made
into the management of the property, and information was filed against Dr. Jenkinson, the
master, concerning the appropriation of the funds
of the charity during his mastership. The vicechancellor decided that the leases had been made
for merely nominal rents to the great detriment
of the hospital, and were to be set aside on this
ground. An article in the Worcester Journal for
January, 1832, commented on this decision as
being unjust in so far that it deprived the leaseholders without any compensation. (fn. 80) At the same
time the revenues of the hospital were so far
improved by the new leases that they reached
almost £20,000 instead of £450. The hospital
was rebuilt in 1873, and at the present day it
consists of 37 houses for 20 men and 17 women,
who receive 8s. a week with coals and clothing.
Masters of the Hospital of St. Oswald
Robert de Collesbourne 1311. (fn. 81)
William de Claines collated 1321. (fn. 82)
William de Shrewsbury, (fn. 83) or de Salop, (fn. 84) admitted 1349.
Richard Baker resigned 1355. (fn. 85)
John Barthelot collated 1355. (fn. 86)
William Byssley collated 1361, (fn. 87) deposed
1394. (fn. 88)
David Burnard collated 1395. (fn. 89)
Henry or Hugh Clifton collated 1396. (fn. 90)
John Freude died 1429. (fn. 91)
John Balle collated 1429. (fn. 92)
Thomas Parker collated 1454, (fn. 93) resigned
1454. (fn. 94)
Thomas Symonds collated 1454. (fn. 95)
Thomas Hawkins resigned 1470. (fn. 96)
William Fautell collated 1470, (fn. 97) resigned
1480. (fn. 98)
John Meyre collated 1480, (fn. 99) resigned 1506. (fn. 100)
John Hale collated 1506. (fn. 101)
Thomas Parker died 1538. (fn. 102)
Nicholas Udal collated 1538. (fn. 103)