106. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY, YARMOUTH
The hospital of St. Mary, Yarmouth, was
founded by Thomas Fastolf early in the reign
of Edward I. William Gerbrigge, senior, by
will of 1728, bequeathed to it a rent of nine
marks for the maintenance of two priests. The
establishment, independently of these two chantry
priests or chaplains, consisted of a master or
warden, eight brethren, and eight sisters. (fn. 1)
Walter de Bintre, donzel of the Duke of
Lancaster, petitioned Innocent VI, in 1354, on
behalf of the hospital of St. Mary the Virgin at
Yarmouth, wherein lived a multitude of poor
brethren and sisters, for whose sustenance a daily
quest has to be made, that he would authorize
the acceptance by the hospital of oblations, and
grant relaxation of a year and forty days of enjoined penance to those who visit the hospital
and the sacred relics therein, and who give a
helping hand to the poor inhabitants thereof. (fn. 2)
Richard Fastolf bequeathed in 1356 considerable rents to the hospital, provided the master,
brethren, and sisters remembered his soul and
that of Petronilla his wife in their masses and
prayers, and William de Statham in 1379 devised to the bailiffs and commonalty of the
town two fish-houses towards the support of
St. Mary's Hospital. (fn. 3)
In 1398 this hospital came into the hands of
the corporation of Yarmouth, when fresh regulations for its government were drawn up, and
the appointment of the warden henceforth
vested in the town. (fn. 4)
John Alcock, bishop of Ely, on 19 April,
1419, granted an indulgence of forty days to all
who assisted in the sustenance or repair of this
hospital. (fn. 5)
The house did not flourish under town
management. In 1535, it was only worth
£4 13s. 4d. a year, wherewith four poor women
were supported. (fn. 6)
107, 108. THE LAZAR-HOUSES OF YARMOUTH
Outside the walls of Yarmouth, on the north,
were two houses for lepers, both probably of
early foundation. There seems to have been a
chapel common to the two lazar-houses; probably they were separate buildings for the two
sexes. Many small bequests were made by the
townsfolk for their support in the fourteenth
century. Thus, in 1365, William Oxney left
6s. 8d. to each house of lepers.
At the time of the dissolution of the religious
houses the corporation took possession of the
two leper houses at the North Gate, and afterwards appointed a warden. They are frequently
mentioned for some time in the corporation
records as ' Sickman's Houses.' (fn. 7)