RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



disorder by accidentally bathing in a spring of water 

 near this plot, where he soon after created a hospital 

 for the benefit of persons so afflicted. 1 



It was under the rule of a master, and possessed 

 a chapel. Various wills of the locality include 

 bequests to this house. In 1503 Thomas Leke 

 of Beccles left 6s. Sd. to the repair of the lepers' 

 chapel, and in 1506 John Rudham of Beccles 

 bequeathed nd. for a like purpose. John 

 Bridges, a brother of the hospital, by will of 

 1567, left 20s. to Humphrey Trame, master, to 

 be equally divided between the brethren and 

 sisters. 2 



This hospital escaped suppression by either 

 Henry VIII or Edward VI, as there seems to 

 have been no kind of chantry endowment con- 

 nected with it, it being, like many other leper 

 hospitals, chiefly maintained by voluntary gifts. 

 Edward VI in 1550 granted licence to Edward 

 Lydgate, a brother of the hospital, to beg daily 

 for the lazars' house of Beccles. 3 



By a deed dated 18 May, 1575, 



between Humphreye Trame, master of the hospital 

 of St. Mary Magdelin at Beccles, and the bretherne 

 and system of the said hospital on the one part, and 

 Margaret Hury of Yoxford on the other part, it is 

 witnessed, that the said Humfry and the brethren 

 and system, of their godly love and intent have not 

 only takyn the sayd Margaret into the said hospytall 

 beinge a sore diseased person wythe an horyble syck- 

 ness, but also have admytted and made the seyd Mar- 

 garet a syster of the same house during her naturall 

 lyfe, accordinge to the auncyent custom and order of 

 the same ; trustynge in our Lord God, wythe the 

 helpe and devocon of good dysposed people, to prepare 

 for the same Margaret, mete, drink, clothinge, wash- 

 inge, chamberinge, and lodginge, good and holsome, 

 duringe the naturall lyfF of the said Margaret, mete 

 for such a person. 



Humphrey Trame, by his will of 1596, gave 

 to the hospital 



one bible, one service-book, and ye desk to them 

 belonging, to go and remain for ever with the hospital 

 of St. Mary Magdalen, to the intent that the sick, 

 then and there abiding, for the comfort of their souls 

 may have continual recourse unto the same. 4 



46. THE HOSPITAL OF DOMUS DEI, 

 BURY ST. EDMUNDS 



The hospital of St. John, more usually known 

 as the ' Domus Dei ' or God's House, was 

 founded by Abbot Edmund 1248-56. 



There is a chartulary in the British Museum, 

 drawn up about 1425, when Thomas Wyger 

 was warden, pertaining to the Domus Dei, 



1 Jermyn MSS., cited in Suckling's Hist. qfSiiff.i, 22. 



'Add. MS. 19112, fol. 58. 



3 Pat. 4 Edw. VI, pt. iv, m. 3. 



1 Suckling, Hist, of Stiff] ii, 22-4, where the later 



history of the hospital is recorded. 



' gallice Maysondieu'; described as being out- 

 side the south gate of the town of St. Edmund*, 

 and under the governorship of the prior of the 

 monastery. 6 



It was established by Abbot Edmund, when 

 Richard was prior, for supplying hospitality and 

 refreshment to Christ's poor without any fraud 

 or diminution. If any of the poor in the hospital 

 fell into any grave sickness and were not able to 

 depart, they were to tarry till strong enough to 

 go on their way. No brother or sister was to be 

 admitted except they were approved by two wise 

 and discreet wardens who were to act under the 

 guidance of the almoner. Mass was not to be 

 celebrated in the house, nor any altar erected, 

 but a room was to be provided for private 

 prayer. 6 



A revised ordination of this house by Abbot 

 Simon and the convent shows that the original 

 house had proved inconvenient, so that a new 

 and much enlarged house was built. In this 

 enlarged Domus Dei a chapel and altar were 

 provided for the inmates, and there was also a 

 graveyard attached for the burial of any who 

 might die within the walls. 7 



Several masters or chaplains of this house are 

 named in the chartulary. They were instituted 

 by the prior of the abbey. Thus in 1394 Prior 

 John Gifford inducted Reginald Sexter, and in 

 1416 Prior Robert Iklynham inducted Richard 

 Sudbury. 8 



Richard II in 1392 licensed Robert Stabler 

 chaplain, William Say chaplain, John Redgrave 

 chaplain, and two others, to alienate to this 

 hospital property in Bury and Westhill, in aid 

 of sustaining a chaplain to celebrate in the 

 chapel of Domus Dei ; the charter recites the 

 consent of the abbot and convent in 1379 to the 

 founding of a chantry in this hospital for the 

 souls of John Kokerel and Clare his wife, Stephen 

 Kokerel and Agnes his wife, and several others. 

 The stipend for this chantry priest was to be 

 33*. \d. to be paid by the master; in addition 

 to board and lodging and fire. 9 



William Place, priest, master of the hospital 

 of St. John Evangelist, by will of 21 July, 1504, 

 proved on I December, 1504, bequeathed small 

 sums to the church of St. Mary, Burv, and to 

 various friars at Lynn, and particular gifts to the 

 abbey of Bury. He made no mention of the 

 hospital of which he had charge, but possibly it 

 benefited, for he left the residue of his goods to 

 his executors to do other good deeds as they 

 should think best to the pleasure of God. 10 



5 Arundel MS. i. This chartulary consists of thirtv- 

 nine folios, the last nine of which are on paper. 



6 Ibid. fol. 1. 



' Ibid. \b, 2 ; Harl. MS. 638, fol. 138^, 139. 

 • Arundel MS. i, 16a, iya. 



'Harl. MS. 638, fol. 24,192 ; Pat. 16 Ric II, 

 pt. i, m. 1 1. 

 10 Tjmms, Bury Willi, 105-6. 



133 



