17. THE HOSPITAL OF DONNINGTON
Up to the present time it has always been assumed that the hospital of Donnington was first
founded in the reign of Richard II; (fn. 10) but its
origin is of far earlier date, for it was evidently
well established in the reign of Edward II, as
confirmation was granted by Edward III in 1327
of the grant by the late king to John de Wodesford, king's clerk, of the custody of the hospital
of St. John, Donnington, for life. (fn. 11)
John de Wodesford resigned in 1333, and the
custody of the hospital was granted to Master
John de Saresbers. At the same time a mandate
was addressed to the constable of the castle of
Donnington to induct him, and a writ de intendendo was directed to the brethren and sisters of
the hospital. (fn. 12)
Sir Richard Abberbury, a leading man in the
county, who was justice not only of Berkshire,
but also of Oxford and Wiltshire, assigned considerable lands in 1365 to two chaplains to
celebrate divine service in a certain chapel at
Donnington which he was newly constructing,
but it is by no means certain that this chapel had
any connexion with either the priory or the
hospital. (fn. 13) However, the same knight, who had
been one of the guardians of Richard II during
his minority, founded in 1393 a hospital at
Donnington, which was almost certainly a reorganization and enrichment of the former
hospital of St. John. He assigned to the poor
of this hospital two acres of land of his manor of
Donnington and the manor of Iffley, near Oxford. One of these poor brethren was to preside
over the rest, and to be called the minister of
God of the poor house of Donnington. The
inmates were to pray daily for the good estate
(and after death for the souls) of King Richard
and Sir Richard Abberbury, and to attend mass
at the adjacent chapel of friars. (fn. 14)
Confusion as to the actual founders of the
smaller and less-known houses often arises from
forgetfulness or ignorance of the fact that the
term fundator was frequently used in the fifteenth
and sixteenth centuries, in returns, as the equivalent of patron, and merely implied a descendant
of the original founder, or even one who had
purchased or inherited through marriage the first
benefactor's estates. Thus Leland says that
Donnington Hospital was founded by Thomas
Chaucer, who died in 1434, whilst Dugdale
describes it as founded by William de la Pole,
duke of Suffolk, who had married Chaucer's
heir. (fn. 15)
Thomas Barrie, one of the almsmen of this
hospital, was concerned in spreading a rumour
(apparently well accredited) in 1538 of the death
of Henry VIII; he was most barbarously
punished, having his ears nailed to the pillory in
Newbury throughout a market day, and at its
close released by having his ears cut off. (fn. 16)
The commissioners of Henry VIII (1548)
reported that the hospital of Walter Abberbury
was founded for the maintenance of thirteen poor
men,
every of them to have towards theyr lyvynge 1d. by
the day, one chamber, and xijs.vjd. in themone(th) of
corne money whyche they have accordyngly. The
patron or donor thereof nowe ys the Kynges Majestie.
The hospital is described as adjoining the castle
and half a mile distant from the parish church.
The annual value was returned at £28 16s. 8d.,
whereof £19 5s. 5d. went as stipend to the
thirteen poor men, and £8 2s. 6d. in corn money.
The balance was used in repairing the tenements.
There were then no ornaments or goods in the
chapel, as it was served from the parish church.
The hospital revenues were among those confiscated to the crown, and so remained until
1570, when they were restored to their original
purpose, on the petition of Charles Howard, earl
of Nottingham, lord admiral. On its reestablishment it was termed
the Hospital of Queen Elizabeth at Donnington, in
time past begun to be founded by Sir Richard Abberbury, Knight, and by Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, perfected and consummated.
The elaborate statutes and ordinances for the
hospital drawn up by Charles Howard were
confirmed in 15 James I by the archbishop of
Canterbury, when Richard James, gent., was
master. One of the rules provides that the
almsmen were to attend service at the parish
church, not only on Sundays and festivals, but
also on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and
there to give God thanks for their founders and
benefactors. (fn. 17)