21. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN BAPTIST, HOCKLIFFE
The hospital of St. John Baptist at Hockliff
is first mentioned in the Lincoln Episcopal
Registers in 1248, (fn. 1) but it had then evidently
been in existence some years. The patron
at that time was John Malherbe, (fn. 2) a member
of whose family was probably the founder.
Its purpose is not stated, nor the number of
the brethren mentioned; but it seems most
likely that it was a hospital for the destitute
poor. (fn. 3) The master and brethren presented
rectors to the parish church from 1248 to
1401, (fn. 4) if not longer, and their exercise of
their patronage brought them once under the
displeasure of Bishop Grossetête; (fn. 5) for they
presented a young man of their founder's
family, (fn. 6) who was refused by the bishop for
defect of orders and insufficiency of learning.
In 1286 the master was deposed by Bishop
Sutton, and another substituted; the cause is
not given. (fn. 7) The brethren were allowed in
1301 to collect alms for the rebuilding of
their hospital, and an indulgence was granted
by the bishop to their benefactors. (fn. 8) In 1310
Bishop Dalderby received a serious complaint
from Luke of Nutley, who was then master;
he said that during his term of office (only a
few months) the brethren had been unwilling
to obey him, and were filled with a spirit of
rebellion; and that a certain lay brother had
laid violent hands upon him and used contumelious words, refusing to recognise his authority. (fn. 9) The difficulty appears to have been
settled by the resignation of Luke in favour
of a former master, (fn. 10) who was perhaps more
acceptable to the brethren.
The hospital was visited by Bishop Bek
in 1342, (fn. 11) but the results are not recorded.
Reference is made to the master and brethren
at the institution of John Culryk to the
parish church in 1401; (fn. 12) and masters continued to be appointed till 1422. It was
probably soon after this that the hospital was
taken over by the prior and canons of Dunstable, perhaps because its income had become
insufficient to maintain it any longer as an
independent house. Its revenue at the dissolution was only £4 15s. 4d., and it finally
ceased to exist at the same time as the priory
of Dunstable. (fn. 13)
Masters of Hockliffe
A(dam), (fn. 14) occurs 1248
Walter, (fn. 15) resigned 1264
William de Lethom, (fn. 16) appointed 1264
Thomas (fn. 17) resigned 1286
Alan de Freston, (fn. 18) appointed 1286, deposed
1288
Thomas of Battlesden, (fn. 19) appointed 1288
Walter de Hoccon, (fn. 20) resigned 1289
Ralph de Eston, (fn. 21) appointed 1289, resigned
1301
Richard de Newton, (fn. 22) appointed 1301, resigned 1310
Luke of Nutley, (fn. 23) appointed 1310, resigned
1310
Richard de Newton, (fn. 24) appointed 1310
William de Elrichton, (fn. 25) appointed 1321,
resigned 1323
Hugh Tracy, (fn. 26) appointed 1323, resigned
1323
William de Edington, (fn. 27) appointed 1323,
resigned 1323
Robert of Lubenham, (fn. 28) appointed 1323,
resigned 1338
John Carpenter, (fn. 29) appointed 1338, resigned
1340
Ralph of Esthaddon, (fn. 30) appointed 1340, resigned 1355
Richard of Dorset, (fn. 31) appointed 1356
Nicholas, (fn. 32) resigned 1400
William atte Mille, (fn. 33) resigned 1405
John King, (fn. 34) appointed 1405, resigned
1405
William Snell, (fn. 35) appointed 1405
William Stortewayle, (fn. 36) resigned 1408
Richard Ulverton, (fn. 37) appointed 1408, resigned 1410
John Kirkeby, (fn. 38) appointed 1410, died
1411
Thomas Burreth, (fn. 39) appointed 1411, died
1413
William Colestone, (fn. 40) appointed 1413
Thomas Chase, (fn. 41) resigned 1422
Adam Symond, (fn. 42) appointed 1422