39. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, OXFORD
The Hospital of St. Bartholomew for lepers,
which stands near Cowley Marsh, was founded
by Henry I, (fn. 1) for twelve sick persons and a chaplain, and endowed by him with the sum of
£23 0s. 5d. a year from the firma of the
city of Oxford, being 1d. a day for each of the
thirteen inmates, and 5s. a year for clothing.
He also gave two loads of hay every year from
the king's mead near Oseney. (fn. 2) Though close to
Cowley it was in the manor of Headington, and
the advowson of it did not belong to the Crown
like the advowson of St. John's Hospital, but to
the lord of Headington, (fn. 3) a manor nearly always
in the hands of the king. It is said that the
hospital was founded at the time when the king
built his palace at Beaumont, Oxford; but it
certainly existed in 1129, at which date it is
mentioned on the Pipe Roll. King Stephen
(1135-9) confirmed the thirteen 'prebends' and
likewise Henry II (fn. 4) (1154-60); and the Pipe
Roll of 1162 shows 60s. spent on the building
'of the infirm of Oxford.' In 1194 Pope
Celestine confirmed the liberties and rents
granted by Henry I, and in 1238 Pope Gregory
conferred on them an immunity from paying
tithes of garden produce, copse-wood, and the
increase of their animals. (fn. 4) During the thirteenth
century the hospital received various small gifts,
as we learn from the Hundred Rolls, but a rent
roll of about 1330 gives only £7 as the income
of the hospital from land, apart from the farm of
a few acres surrounding the hospital, which the
brethren tilled themselves.
After the resignation of William de Westbury
in 1312 there was a succession of wardens who
mismanaged, or were accused of mismanaging,
the hospital. Adam de Weston, clerk of the
king, appointed warden in April, 1312, (fn. 5) was
accused in July; and an inquest held in August
reported that he had sold rye, malt, hay, and
straw without the consent of the brethren and
had kept the money; that he had dismissed the
chaplain, so that mass was rarely said; he
had also dismissed the servants who tilled the
lands of the hospital; he had a concubine; he
had turned Brother William de Westbury out of
the house to which he had retired after being
warden for forty-three years, (fn. 6) built by himself in
the grounds of the hospital. In consequence
Adam de Weston was deprived; but Peter de
Luffenham appointed in 1315, (fn. 7) was also displeasing to the brethren, (fn. 8) who complained that
he took more than his share of the hospital's
income, neglected the sick and generally looked
after his own interests rather than theirs. In
1316 the king made new regulations for the
hospital. The number of the brethren was to be
reduced from twelve to eight, and not the
healthy, as was the custom by this time, but the
infirm only were to be admitted until the house
consisted of two healthy brethren, to do the
work of the farm, and six infirm; each of them,
as well as the chaplain's clerk, was to receive 9d.
a week, and the master, who was also to be the
chaplain, £4 a year; probably the 5s. a year
for clothing remained as before; any surplus
was to be used in repairing the buildings. (fn. 9) We
learn, however, that these regulations were
soon broken; for in 1321, when John, son of
Lawrence Serche, one who was not infirm, asked
to be admitted as a brother, promising to contribute ten marks to the repair of the chapel
roof, the king gave permission. (fn. 10)
Under the new rule Robert de Sutton was
appointed master in 1317, but in 1325 the
brethren complained that he had allowed the
hospital to fall into dilapidation. (fn. 11) It was ordered
that a survey should be taken, and next year we
find the wardenship granted for life to Adam de
Brome, provost of Oriel. (fn. 12) Two years later the
king decided to make new arrangements; he
granted the hospital to Oriel College, not however
(as was so often the case), entirely suppressing
the old foundation; the eight brethren were still
to receive their 9d. a week, and 5s. a year for
clothing; there was also to be a chaplain for
them apart from the warden; but after these
expenses had been met the surplus was evidently
to go to the college, and it is mentioned that
the hospital would serve as a place where the
sick members of Oriel might retire for change
of air. (fn. 13)
In 1367 the provost and scholars of Oriel,
complaining to the king that the brethren of the
hospital were not obedient to them, asked for a
commission to examine into its state. In consequence the king issued the following regulations,
which probably were not new but represent the
ordinary rules of a hospital:—The brethren were
to live chastely; they were not to go outside
the hospital without their habit; none were to
be admitted who were married, or in debt, or
not free; they were not to invite their friends
into the hospital without the leave of the provost;
each brother, when admitted, was to contribute
all his movable goods, which were to remain
with the hospital even if he was expelled; consequently they might not make wills. (fn. 14)
In 1390, when William Coterell, clerk of the
king, who was warden of the hospital of
St. Lawrence without Bristol, was granted in
addition the hospital of St. Bartholomew, the
provost and scholars of Oriel petitioned against
the grant, as being contrary to the ordinance of
1328. An inquiry was held, and the verdict
was in favour of the college. (fn. 15) Subsequently the
hospital was the subject of much litigation
between Oriel College and the town, and the
payment to the hospital was reduced from its
original sum of £23 5s. to £19 a year. (fn. 16)
Masters of the Hospital of St. Bartholomew, Oxford
Thomas de Stanton, c. 1233 (fn. 17)
Walter de Stanton, c. 1240 (fn. 18)
William de Brackele (?), c. 1262 (fn. 19)
John de Wotton, c. 1266 (fn. 20)
William de Westbury, 1269-1312 (fn. 21)
Adam de Weston, appointed April, 1312, (fn. 22)
deprived 1313 (fn. 23)
Peter de Luffenham, appointed warden 'during
pleasure,' September, 1315 (fn. 24)
Robert de Sutton, appointed warden 'for life,'
June, 1317 (fn. 25)
Adam de Brome, appointed warden 'for life,'
March, 1326 (fn. 26)
William de Leverton, occurs 1348 (fn. 27)
William de Daventrie, occurs 1351 and 1356 (fn. 28)
William Coterell, appointed February, 1390 (fn. 29)