96. THE HOSPITAL OF WEST SOMERTON
Ralph de Glanville, chief justice of England,
who founded the priory of Butley in Suffolk, also
founded a leper hospital at West Somerton, dedicated to St. Leonard. The hospital was placed
under the government of the priory. (fn. 1)
At Pleas as to the founding of the leper-house
of West Somerton in 1291, the jury found
that the prior of Butley had the custody of the
hospital and nothing more; (fn. 2) this finding was
repeated nine years later. (fn. 3)
A commission was issued by Edward I, in
1299, to inquire and judge concerning the people
who forcibly entered the leper-house of West
Somerton, and carried away corn and goods,
together with the hospital muniments. (fn. 4)
In the following year a grant was made to the
prior of Butley, keeper of the West Somerton
leper hospital, in consideration of a fine of 100
marks paid by him into the exchequer, that he
and his successor may hold that hospital henceforth quit of any account, on condition that the
king and his heirs shall cause the said hospital
(like the other hospitals of the king's advowson)
to be visited by the chancellor for the time being,
or other person deputed thereto, and shall correct
any defects found on visitation. This came
about through an action recently brought against
the ruler in the king's court for him to render
an account touching the issues of that hospital,
since he had acknowledged in court that the
advowson of the hospital belonged to the king. (fn. 5)
An inquisition held by the escheator for Norfolk, 20 Richard II, brought out the details of
this foundation. It there appeared in evidence
that Ralph Glanville, the founder, granted the
hospital to the prior and convent of Butley on
the condition that they should maintain in it
thirteen lepers with all necessaries, and a chaplain
to celebrate there daily with a clerk, for the
souls of Ralph and his parents; that the prior, for
twenty years past, had ceased the maintenance of
nine of the lepers; that the chaplain and clerk
with the prior and convent, withdrew for the
past twelve years from the four remaining lepers
seven gallons of ale a week worth a penny each,
and that the hospital was worth ten marks yearly.
Consequently the hospital was taken into the
king's hands, and there remained (November,
1399). The prior and convent, however, produced evidence that the hospital was worth £60
yearly when first founded, but that the present
income of only 10 marks would not suffice to
maintain the charges, and that the hospital itself
was desolate. Whereupon the crown regranted
the hospital to the priory on the condition of two
of the priory canons being maintained to celebrate for the king and the founder, and acquitted
them of the issues of the hospital for the twenty
years, and of the price of the gallons of ale for
the twelve years. (fn. 6)