A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



foundation at that time consisted of a priest 

 (master) and nine poor brethren and nine poor 

 sisters. 



On 8 September, 1334, the keepers of the 

 temporalities of the see of Winchester, then 

 in the king's hands, were directed to pay to 

 the master and paupers of the hospital of St. 

 Mary Magdalen on the hill, the arrears of a 

 certain fixed sum for their maintenance, as 

 they had been in the habit of receiving such a 

 sum during voidance from the king's progeni- 

 tors. 1 In 1336 the taxers and collectors of 

 the tenth and fifteenth in Hampshire were 

 ordered not to molest or aggrieve the master 

 and brethren of the hospital, and to permit 

 them to be quit for that turn, as the hospital 

 was so slenderly endowed that its goods hardly 

 sufficed for the maintenance of the master, 

 brethren and sisters, and of the weak and 

 infirm there, and for other alms according to 

 the foundation. 2 



From Bishop Orlton's registers the interest- 

 ing fact is established that it was at one time 

 customary for the bishop to collate not only 

 the master, but the various inmates of the 

 house, whether brothers or sisters. Thus in 



1338 Bishop Orlton collated William de 

 Berwick to a portion or share in the house, 

 with all its rights, customs and pittances. In 



1339 the bishop collated Margaret Greenway 

 to another portion, which had been held by 

 Henry le Bule, clerk, whilst he remained in 

 the hospital. In 1342 the same bishop col- 

 lated William de Basynge, clerk, to the per- 

 petual custody of the hospital, assigning to the 

 custodian or master four ' greater portions.' 3 

 Both in Orlton's and Wykeham's registers the 

 chapel of St. Mary Magdalen is termed a 

 chantry, in consequence of the obligations 

 that rested on the priest and brethren and 

 sisters to pray for the souls of the founders 

 and of all the faithful departed. 



According to Trussell's MS. history of 

 Winchester, ' The House of St. Mary Mag- 

 dalene was founded by Maria de Valentia, 

 daughter of Guido, Earle of St. Pawle of 

 Fraunce, wief of Adamore de Valentia, 

 Earle of Pembrokke, in the dayes of 

 Edwarde the Third.' * This is of course 

 incorrect, but it may quite possibly refer 

 to some special benefaction, or scheme of 

 refounding. Certain it is that there was a 

 considerable architectural reconstruction of the 



1 Pat. 8 Edw. III. m. 17. 



1 Ibid. 10 Edw. III. m. 17. 



1 Winton. Epis. Reg., Orlton, i. ff. 73, 92 ; ii. 

 f. 6 7 . 



4 Cited in Woodward's Hut. of Hants, i. 

 4S- 



hospital in the first half of the fourteenth 

 century. 



In 1394, John Melton, who was the first 

 schoolmaster of Winchester College, was col- 

 lated by Bishop Wykeham to the wardenship 

 of the hospital and chantry, to which, as 

 again stated, was assigned the share of four 

 ' greater portions.' 5 The form of collation 

 reminded the new master of his obligations, 

 for therein is reference to the >uia contingit 

 bull of Clement, whereby he was bound to 

 make an annual return of the goods and 

 expenditure of the hospital. In the following 

 year the bishop, on the death of William 

 Chaloner, one of the brethren, collated Roger 

 Muleward to his place ; John Melton, the 

 master, was ordered to induct the new 

 brother. 8 Much earlier in his episcopate 

 (1369), Wykeham had collated to this hos- 

 pital one Adam Coudrich, who is described 

 as aged, weak, poverty stricken, and unable 

 with his own hands to gain a maintenance. 



Wykeham was as keen to check abuses on 

 a small scale as those on a larger throughout 

 his diocese. Encouraged by the successful 

 issue of his contention with the great hospital 

 of St. Cross, he next turned his attention to 

 the much humbler foundation of St. Mary 

 Magdalen. On i September, 1400, he 

 appointed John Campeden, Archdeacon of 

 Surrey, and Simon Membury, treasurer of 

 Wolvesey, two of his most trusted friends, as 

 commissioners, with full power to visit and 

 inquire into the condition and administration 

 of this hospital. 7 The report showed that 

 many ' delinquencies, crimes, and excesses , 

 had been brought to light ; and Wykeham' 

 on 20 November of the same year, com- 

 missioned Campeden and Membury, together 

 with John Elmore, his official, to punish 

 canonically the offenders, and even to expel 

 the master, or any other delinquent, if justice 

 required it. 8 



Among the Harley MSS. 9 is a portion of 

 a rental of the hospital, with an inventory of 

 the furniture of the chapel and house, taken 

 about 1400. The receipts were : 25 19;. 4^. 

 from the treasurer of Wolvesey ; j6 95. 4^. 

 from the prior of St. Swithun's ; 22*. from 

 the abbot of Hyde ; 6oj. from the bailiffs of 

 Winchester ; and 1 6*. %d. in rents yielding 

 a total of 37 6s. lid. These receipts were 

 thus allotted. The sum from Wolvesey was for 



6 Winton. Epis. Reg., Wykeham, i. f. 231. 

 8 Ibid. f. 255. 



7 Ibid. iii. 238. 



8 Ibid. f. 329. 



Harl. MS. 328, ff. 26-8. Printed in Vttusta 

 Monumenta, iii. 1 1 . 



198 



