55. THE HOSPITAL OF OSPRINGE
In several grants of relief from taxation made
to this hospital in the fourteenth century, on
account of its alleged poverty, (fn. 1) it is said to have
been founded by Henry III. It was dedicated
to St. Mary, and references to the hospital of St.
Nicholas without Ospringe, (fn. 2) and the hospital of
St. John, Ospringe, (fn. 3) are probably merely wrong
descriptions of it. We first hear of it in 1234,
when the king granted to the warden the surplus
corn on the manor of Ospringe. (fn. 4) The patronage
always belonged to the crown, the earlier masters
being appointed during pleasure only; and in
1316 the archdeacon of Canterbury was forbidden
to exact a procuration from the master and
brethren, as the hospital, which was of the alms
of the king's progenitors and founded upon a lay
fee, had always been free and exempt from
ordinary jurisdiction and from all contributions
and procurations. (fn. 5)
Henry III made grants to the hospital in 1239
of a house in the parish of St. Mary Colechurch,
London, (fn. 6) and in 1240 of land called ' La Denne'
in the parish of Headcorn with the advowson of
the church of Headcorn and land in Twithan,
Staple, Adisham, Wingham, and ' Hammewolde'; (fn. 7) and in 1252 he granted land in Trienstone in Romney Marsh for the finding of a
chaplain to celebrate daily in the hospital the
mass of Edward the Confessor. (fn. 8) In 1246 he
granted to the brethren numerous liberties, (fn. 9) and
in 1251 a weekly market at their manor of Headcorn and a yearly fair there on the vigil, the feast,
and the morrow of Sts. Peter and Paul. (fn. 10) A
number of grants by private donors were confirmed to them in 1247 (fn. 11) and 1315. (fn. 12)
In 1245 Robert abbot of St. Augustine's,
Canterbury, granted to them the right of burial
of brethren wearing the habit and of infirm who
might die in the hospital, and also granted that
the priests ministering in the hospital might hear
the confessions of and otherwise minister to the
brethren and the poor there, but all emoluments
were reserved to the mother church of Faversham
and all its rights reserved. In return for these
concessions the brethren were to pay to the abbey
12d. and two pounds of wax yearly. (fn. 13)
In 1384 the temporalities of the house were
taxed at £51 5s. and the church of Headcorn at
£13 6s. 8d. yearly. (fn. 14)
Edward I in 1278 granted two beeches for her
fuel to Juliana, sometime damsel of his mother
Eleanor, dwelling in the hospital. (fn. 15) In 1292
he sent Ralph le Bedel, who had also been in
the service of the same queen, to receive maintenance in the hospital for life; (fn. 16) and the
appointments of several other inmates by him and
later kings are recorded. Edward III in 1330
granted to the master and brethren that they
should be free from providing sustenance out of
their house such as at the request of the late king
they had granted to Robert le Messager; (fn. 17) but
nevertheless sent Gilbert de Sheffeld there in
1335. (fn. 18) Richard II in 1382 granted to John
Lovyn the reversion of the next vacant chaplaincy
in the hospital. (fn. 19) In 1397 the master and
brethren granted to Philip Wen, rector of Crundale, a chamber in the hospital and a corrody for
life with various detailed provisions, which were
confirmed by Henry IV in 1401. (fn. 20)
Nicholas de Staple, the master, was removed
from the hospitalin 1314 on account of dissensions between himself and the brethren, and sent
to be received as a brother in the hospital of St.
John, Oxford; (fn. 21) one of the brethren of this
house being sent to Ospringe in his place; (fn. 22) but
in 1334 he was allowed to return as one of the
brethren to Ospringe. (fn. 23) Thomas Urre and
Robert de Chilham were similarly removed from
Ospringe in 1332, the former being sent to St.
John's, Oxford. (fn. 24)
In 1331 Master Robert de Cantuaria and John
de Wyndesore were ordered to make a visitation
to the hospital, reported to be greatly decayed for
lack of good rule, and to remedy any abuses
which they might find. (fn. 25) Probably there was
not much fault, for in 1333 John de Lenham,
the master, who had been appointed during
pleasure, received a grant of his office during good
behaviour, on proof that he had ruled the house
well and greatly relieved it by his industry. (fn. 26)
Another visitation was directed in 1422, (fn. 27) but on
this occasion the hospital was found to have fallen
into decay through bad governance, and was
sequestrated and committed to the custody of the
bishop of London and the two visitors, the abbot
of Faversham and John Martyn. (fn. 28) In 1458 the
abbot of Faversham, the archdeacon of Canterbury and others were appointed to inquire into
dilapidations and alienations committed by John
Bacheler, warden; (fn. 29) with the result that the
latter resigned shortly afterwards. (fn. 30)
In 1387 Thomas, the master, made application to the crown for the arrest of Richard
Evesham, a vagabond brother. (fn. 31)
Archbishop Warham made a visitation (fn. 32) of
the house on 28 September, 1511. Master
Woodruff, professor of theology, the warden, said
that he believed that in the first foundation the
warden and fellows were priests professed of the
order of the Holy Cross and used to wear the
cross on their shoulders. When Master Darell,
the brother of John Darell, kt., was warden,
he and his three fellow priests were professed
and used to wear the cross. One of the present
fellows had obtained a benefice by papal permission.
Henry VIII on 10 March, 1516, granted (fn. 33)
the advowson of the house in mortmain to the
college of St. John the Evangelist, Cambridge,
founded by Margaret, countess of Richmond;
and it was appropriated to the college by her
executors. (fn. 34) Its possessions, including the manors
of Trianstone, Headcorn, Downe, Tangerton,
Borstall, and Elverland, are set out in detail in an
inquisition (fn. 34a) taken in November, 1518, where
it is said that there were in it originally a master
and three brethren, professed of the order of the
Holy Cross, and two secular clerks, but that on
the death of Robert Darell, master, no brethren
remained, and so the hospital became secular.
Masters Or Wardens Of Ospringe
Geoffrey, occurs 1234 (fn. 35)
Henry de Cobeham, occurs 1235 (fn. 36)
William Gracien, occurs 1242, (fn. 37) 1247 (fn. 38)
Roger, occurs 1258 (fn. 38a)
Walter, occurs 1274 (fn. 39)
Peter, occurs 1287, (fn. 40) 1294 (fn. 41)
Alexander de Staple, appointed 1295 (fn. 42)
Nicholas de Staple, appointed 1310, (fn. 43) removed
1314 (fn. 44)
Henry de Tenham, appointed 1314, (fn. 45) died
1319 (fn. 46)
Adam de Esshe, appointed 1319, (fn. 47) died 1330 (fn. 48)
John de Lenham, appointed 1330, (fn. 48) died
1349 (fn. 49)
William de Newenham, appointed 1349 (fn. 49)
Thomas de Newenham, appointed 1349 (fn. 50)
Paul de Dunton, resigned (fn. 51)
Thomas Honyngham, occurs 1378 (fn. 52)
John Carleton, appointed 1396, (fn. 53) resigned
1401 (fn. 54)
John Cranebourne, appointed 1401, (fn. 54) resigned
1411 (fn. 55)
John atte See, appointed 1411, (fn. 55) resigned
1412 (fn. 55a)
William Gamyn, appointed 1412 (fn. 55b)
John Fakenham, occurs 1416 (fn. 55)
William Palmer, occurs 1422 (fn. 56)
James Jerkevile, appointed 1428 (fn. 57)
Andrew Bircheford, occurs 1434 (fn. 58)
James Jerkevyle, occurs 1445 (fn. 58a)
John Bacheler, occurs 1452, (fn. 58b) resigned 1458 (fn. 59)
Robert Darell, appointed 1458, (fn. 59) died 1470 (fn. 60)
John Pemberton, appointed 1470, (fn. 60) resigned
1472 (fn. 61)
Stephen Close, appointed 1472, (fn. 61) resigned
1473 (fn. 62)
Thomas Asshby, appointed 1473, (fn. 62) resigned
1490 (fn. 63)
Robert Woderove, appointed 1490, (fn. 63) died
1515 (fn. 64)
John Underhill, appointed 1515, (fn. 64) the last
master (fn. 65)
The seal (fn. 66) of the hospital (thirteenth century) is a pointed oval measuring about 2 in.
by 1½ in., and represents a seeded fleur-de-lis.
Legend:—
S . . . . ALIS BEATE MARIE DE OSPRENGE
Another seal (fn. 67) (thirteenth century) is a pointed
oval measuring about 2 in. by 1¼ in. representing
a patriarchal cross, between four circular panels,
the upper two containing each a saint's head, the
lower each an ox's head. Legend:—
[s' FRA]TRUM HOSPITALI . . . . RIE DE
OSPREN . . .