29. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. PETER, WINDSOR
There was a hospital for lepers in the park of
Windsor of early foundation, usually known as
the hospital of St. Peter-without-Windsor. The
first references that have hitherto been found to
this hospital are of the reign of Henry III.
On 24 February, 1232, the brethren of the
hospital of St. Peter of Windsor obtained the
protection of the crown sine termino. (fn. 92) The
Testa de Nevill states that 7s. a year was paid to
the lepers of Windsor out of the fee-farm of
Windsor, the gift of King Henry. (fn. 93)
This hospital was for both leprous maidens and
brethren, as we learn from a charter of 1251,
whereby Henry III, for the souls of King John,
Queen Isabel, Queen Eleanor, and for his children, granted them 120 acres, part of a purpresture in the forest of Windsor; to be held free of
all secular service, by finding a chaplain to say
mass daily in the hospital chapel for the souls
before mentioned. (fn. 94)
The leper hospital of Windsor is mentioned in
the special inquisition of 1273 (Hundred Rolls)
as entitled to 2½ marks out of the inclosed lands
of Geoffrey de Denne, and the hospital without
Windsor is mentioned as a boundary in a grant
of land in Windsor Forest dated 23 October,
1289. (fn. 95)
On 24 August, 1290, Robert de Cancell,
chaplain, was granted the custody of the hospital
of St. Peter-without-Windsor, by the king during
pleasure. (fn. 96)
In February, 1327, Edward III granted the
custody of this hospital to John le Chapelur for
life. (fn. 97)
John Hardin, chaplain, was granted on
29 April, 1382, custody for life of the chapel of
St. Peter in the parish of Windsor, called 'le
Spital,' void by the resignation of Simon de Merstone. A few days later, namely on 9 May,
revocation was made of this collation, as it appeared that Simon de Merstone had resigned unwillingly through fear. However, on 2 August
Simon de Merstone executed a second resignation
of ' le Spital juxta Windsor,' and William de
Briggeford was appointed in his place by the
crown. (fn. 98)
In 1390 Richard II granted to his servant
Laurence Hunt the wardenship of Windsor
Hospital, provided the hospital might be held by
a layman. (fn. 99)
Among large grants made by Edward IV to the
provosts and college of Eton in 1462, chiefly of
the possessions of the forfeited alien priories, that
they might pray for the good estate of the king,
and for the souls of his progenitors, &c., the
hospital of St. Peter of Windsor is first named. (fn. 100)
The practical extinction of leprosy by this time
in England formed a genuine excuse for the transference of this property.
The site and land of this hospital still bear
the name of Spital, about half a mile south of
Windsor proper.
30. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN, WINDSOR
Grant during pleasure was made by Edward II
in September, 1316, to Walter de Redynges,
king's yeoman, of the place which is called the
hospital of St. John, Windsor, to hold with all
lands, rents, and other things pertaining, provided
that he found a chaplain to celebrate divine service in the chapel there daily, for the souls of the
king's ancestors, so long as he should hold the
place. (fn. 101) Nothing more, however, appears to be
known of this hospital, which would seem, from
the wording of the grant, to have already ceased
from active existence at this date.