HOSPITALS
15. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN, BEDFORD
The date of the foundation of the hospital
of St. John Baptist at Bedford is somewhat
uncertain. It is dated 980 in the transcript
of the foundation charter which was entered
in 1399 in the episcopal registers at Lincoln, (fn. 1)
and 1280 in the Chantry Certificates of Henry
VIII. and Edward VI.; (fn. 2) the first date seems
too early, and the second is certainly too late.
Perhaps the correct date is 1180, for the first
mention of the hospital is found in 1216, (fn. 3)
and not long after this Bishop Hugh de Wells
ordained a vicarage for the church of St. John,
which belonged then to the brothers of the
hospital. (fn. 4)
The founder's name was Robert de Parys;
other benefactors being John and Henry St.
John. (fn. 5) The original endowment was intended to support two or three religious
brethren, of whom one should be master; it
was to be a house of charity, where all needy
persons free born of the town of Bedford (but
from no other place) who had become poor by
misfortune rather than by fault might seek
admittance and be maintained; though none
should be presented by the mayor and burgesses unless with the consent of the founder
and his successors. The brethren were to
live as religious, having a common refectory
and dormitory; they were to have the tonsure
of a priest and to wear clothing of any sober
colour, covered by a dark mantle. They
were to remain in the hospital for life, and,
when admitted, to take an oath of obedience
to the statutes and to the master; they were
every day to sing the canonical hours and
celebrate the divine office for the living and
the dead, praying especially for the soul of the
founder and other benefactors. The master
was to correct the brethren ordinarily, but he
might appeal to the bishop in case of
necessity. (fn. 6)
In 1306 Bishop Dalderby wrote a fuller
rule for the brethren, which was practically
an adaptation of the rule of St. Augustine to
their particular circumstances. (fn. 7) It is clear
that though they were so few in number they
were expected to live quite as strictly as the
religious of large communities.
The church was rebuilt early in the fourteenth century, and the brethren then had a
licence to beg alms for this purpose on account
of their poverty. (fn. 8) The master of the hospital,
Robert Rous, was appointed in 1333 to hear
the confessions of all the subjects of the archdeacons of Bedford and Huntingdon. (fn. 9) He
died in 1349, (fn. 10) probably of the pestilence.
In 1399 (fn. 11) the hospital was reconstituted on
the old foundation by Bishop Beaufort, with
the same number of brethren and the same
rule as before. When inquiry was being
made at the end of the reign of Henry VIII.
into the condition of chantries and hospitals, it
was said that no poor person was kept there,
nor had been for many years. (fn. 12) It appears
also that there were no longer any brethren,
but only a master, who was also rector of the
church. (fn. 13)
The hospital was not taken into the king's
hand at that time, but in 1591 an attempt
was made to prove that it had reverted to the
Crown by the death of the master and religious
brethren. Oliver St. John and others were
commissioned to inquire into the foundation
and to find out who were the heirs of Robert
de Parys. (fn. 14) It was finally proved that it had
been united with the parish church and was the
property of the mayor and corporation, who
in 1628 petitioned that there should be no
further proceedings against them in respect of
it, 'except only by course of law.' (fn. 15) At
the end of the eighteenth century the rector
of the church was still called master of the
hospital, and ten beadsmen received ninepence
weekly from the funds of the old foundation. (fn. 16)
Neither the church nor the hospital of St.
John is mentioned in the Taxatio of Pope
Nicholas, but in 1216 the brothers owned a
mill in Bedford. (fn. 17) In 1302 the master held
one-twentieth of a knight's fee in Clophill. (fn. 18)
In 1535 the revenue of the hospital, consisting mainly of small rents, amounted to
£21 0s. 8d.; (fn. 19) at the end of the reign of
Henry VIII. to £20. (fn. 20)
Masters of St. John's Hospital, Bbedford
Baldwin, (fn. 21) appointed 1286
William of Buckingham, (fn. 22) died 1316
Richard of Buckingham, (fn. 23) appointed 1316
Robert Rous, (fn. 24) appointed 1333, died 1349
William Rous, (fn. 25) appointed 1349, died 1374
John Appelond, (fn. 26) appointed 1374
Walter of Swineshead, (fn. 27) occurs 1384 and
1410
Thomas Hore, (fn. 28) died 1444
John Thorpe, (fn. 29) appointed 1444
John Brinklo (fn. 30)
Richard Hylston, (fn. 31) resigned 1448
William Athall, appointed 1448, (fn. 32) resigned 1456
John Goldsmith, (fn. 33) appointed 1456, resigned
1456
Thomas Kynges, (fn. 34) appointed 1456, resigned 1457
John Dovey, (fn. 35) appointed 1461, resigned
1462
Thomas Horne, (fn. 36) appointed 1462
Richard Hyndeman, (fn. 37) appointed 1462, resigned 1470
Henry Rudyng, (fn. 38) appointed 1470, died
1497
William Morgan, (fn. 39) appointed 1497, died
1509
Humphrey Gascoigne, (fn. 40) appointed 1509
William Wroxill, (fn. 41) resigned 1520
William Franklin, (fn. 42) appointed 1520
John Stringer, (fn. 43) appointed 1530
A seal of this hospital represents St. John
Baptist standing, holding a long scroll inscribed
SIGILLUM HOSPITALIS SANCTI JOHANNIS BAPTISTÆ DE BEDFORD. The same legend is
around the margin of the seal, which is
oval and very clear and distinct.