28. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN, SOUTHAMPTON
The hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, Southampton, frequently styled in the town accounts
Le Maudelyne, was founded by the burgesses,
at their own cost, as a refuge for lepers, in
or about 1172-3, when there is a claim for
for allowance on the Pipe Roll of £1 3s. 2d.
for land given to the lepers of Southampton.
It was confirmed by Pope Alexander III. in
1179 to the priory of St. Denis, by the name
of the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, but it
does not appear that the priory gained any
benefit from the hospital till the time of
Edward III. Probably it was only assigned
to the priory in the first instance in order that
they might see that the church or chapel was
duly served, and some priest found brave
enough to continuously administer to the
souls of the lepers.
Originally the burgesses appointed the
master or warden of the hospital, but in the
reign of Edward I. the Crown claimed the
presentation and appointed William Balweys.
This intrusion was resisted both by the burgesses and the bishop. The latter, in 1285,
appointed Robert, rector of the church of St.
Cross, Southampton, at the instance of the
burgesses, to the wardenship. (fn. 1) Thereupon
Bishop Pontoise was charged with purpresture against the king in seizing the advowson;
and at Michaelmas, 1290, when the case was
heard, the bishop replied that he had never for
himself nor his church made any claim to the
advowson, and the sheriff of Hampshire was
ordered to seize the wardenship for the Crown. (fn. 2)
However, on this followed an inquiry in
Easter term, 1291, when the jury found that
neither the bishop nor the king had any right
to the advowson, but that it had been uninterruptedly exercised by the burgesses until
the Crown appointment of William Balweys. (fn. 3)
Nevertheless, in 1342, the Crown again
claimed the advowson; and on 6 May of that
year Edward III. granted to Richard le
Paneter the life custody of the hospital of
St. Mary Magdalen, Southampton. (fn. 4)
In 1347 the hospital and its possessions
were appropriated by the king to the priory of
St. Denis, Southampton, in consideration of
the poverty of that house, but under covenant
that the canons should perform all the duties
of the hospital. (fn. 5) This grant was confirmed
by Richard II. in 1390. These grants show
that there was from the first a definite obligation to maintain a chantry for a priest to
celebrate on certain days.
According to the old ordinances of the
Gild Merchant of Southampton, the lepers of
La Maudeleyne received a pittance of ale
from the alms of the gild. (fn. 6)
In November, 1377, a commission was issued
to inquire by a jury of the county touching
the petition of the prior of St. Denis, which
alleged that from time immemorial a penny
per tun of wine imported at Southampton,
whether by denizens or aliens, had been
accustomed to be paid to the warden of the
lepers of the hospital of St. Mary Magdalen;
that the late king granted the hospital and all
its profits to the priory, and that he was then
hindered in receiving the said penny a tun on
wine, which was the greatest part of the
hospital's profit. (fn. 7)
At a subsequent inquisition, towards the
close of Richard's reign, it appeared that the
priory was not carrying out its obligations,
and the Crown granted the wardenship to
John Newport, clerk; but in 1398 this
action was revoked at the suit of the priory. (fn. 8)
Neither chantry nor hospital were however
being duly supported by the priory, and the
buildings were becoming ruinous. In 1401,
Henry IV. confirmed the property of the
hospital once again to the priory, but tacitly
sanctioned the abandonment of all the original
scheme for the help of the afflicted poor,
simply insisting on their praying for his weal
whilst living, and for his soul after death. (fn. 9)
At the dissolution of the priory of St. Denis,
the property of this hospital was estimated
at an annual income of £16 16s. The
house in the fourteenth century stood in
18 acres of land called 'Le Maudelyne,' in
the West and East Marlands; the Winchester road now passes through the premises.
It also possessed 3 acres in Bove-barre Street,
four cottages in Foleflode without the bars,
and a few rents in the town and neighbourhood. (fn. 10)
Masters of The Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen, Southampton
William Balweys, in the time of Edward I. (fn. 11)
Robert, rector of St. Cross, 1285 (fn. 12)
Richard le Paneter, 1342 (fn. 13)
John Newport, in the time of Richard II. (fn. 14)