51. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JAMES, DUNWICH
A leper hospital dedicated in honour of St.
James, consisting of a master, with several
leprous brothers and sisters, existed at Dunwich
at least as early as the reign of Richard I.
Walter de Riboff was one of the chief benefactors, and by some considered the founder.
By his charter, apparently early in the reign of
John, he granted to the church of St. James
and the house of lepers of Dunwich, and to
Hubert the chaplain who ministered there and
to all successive chaplains, for the soul of Henry
de Cressie and his own good estate, 40 acres of
land at Brandeston, various plots in other places, together with eight bushels of wheat at Michaelmas,
two loaves of bread (daily) from his oven, and a sextary (pint and a half) of ale from his brewhouse
wherever his residence might be, and the tithes
of his mills. To the chaplain he also assigned
an annual pension of 5s., and a comb of corn
yearly at Michaelmas, to be divided between two
leprous brethren, one of the chaplain's nomination and one of the nomination of himself and his
heirs; any of the household of the hospital who
were healthy (not lepers) were to receive the
sacraments and make their offerings at the
church of Brandeston on festivals. The dead
were to be buried in the graveyard of the mother
church. (fn. 1)
Pope Gregory IX, in 1233, granted licence
confirmatory of letters by Pope Lucius to the
lepers of St. James, Dunwich, to receive legacies
and trusts left for their use. (fn. 2)
Protection was granted by Edward II, in
1312, with authority to seek alms for one year,
to the master and brethren of St. James, Dunwich, as they had not sufficient wherewith to
live unless they obtained succour from others. (fn. 3)
This licence was renewed for another twelvemonth in each of the three following years, for
the same reason. (fn. 4) This annual sanction for
collecting alms was also maintained from 1320
to 1323. (fn. 5) In 1330 it was renewed, and in
1331 the same was granted for two years
to the master, brethren, and their attorneys collecting alms in the churches; the king's bailiffs
were to prevent any unauthorized persons collecting in their name. (fn. 6)
Weever, writing in 1631, says of this
hospital:—
The church is a great one, and a faire large one after the
old fashion, and divers tenements, houses, and land to the
same belonging, to the use of the poor, sicke, and impotent people there. But now lately, greatly decaied
and hindred by evil Masters of the said Hospital, and
other evilly disposed covetous persons, which did sell
away divers lands and rents from the said Hospitall,
to the great hinderance of the poor people of the
said Hospital, as is plainly to be proved. (fn. 7)
Gardner says (1754) that the former great
income had dwindled to £21 19s. 8d., of which
48s. went to the master, and the residue to
maintain three or four indigent people 'who
reside in one poor old house, being all the remains
of the buildings, except the shells of the church
and chapel.' (fn. 8)
Masters of the Hospital of St. James, Dunwich
Hubert, (fn. 9)
c. 1200
William Coterell, (fn. 10) 1389
John Peyntneye, (fn. 11) 1392
Hugh Blythe, (fn. 12) 1393
Edmund Lyster, (fn. 13) occurs 1401
Adam Reyner, (fn. 14) occurs 1499
The thirteenth-century seal of this hospital
shows a full-length figure of St. James with
nimbus, having the right hand raised in benediction, and a crutch or cross-tau in the left.
On each side is an eschallop shell. Legend:—
SIGILL'. SACTI. IACOBI. I. . . . . . .
DON . . . . . (fn. 15)