22 CHARTER, ST. LAWRENCE DE PONTEBOY. 



grannt, and do by these presents notify and declare, that our will 

 and intent is that the said lazer people, and all other which frome 

 henceforthe shalbe in the said house called St. Lawrence de Pont- 

 boye in Bodman, shalbe called and knowen by the name of the 

 Hospitall or Almeshouse of Elizabeth, Quene of England, of St. 

 Lawrence de Ponteboy in the parishe of Bodman, and shall frome 

 henceforthe for ever be and consiste of a Maister or Governor, 

 and nyne and thyrtye poore men and women beinge leprous 

 people ; and we doe furder graunte for us, our heires and succes- 

 sors unto the said lazer people that they shalbe incorporate and 

 made a body corporate for ever by the name of Maister or 

 Governour, and the brethren and sisters of the said Hospitall, 

 and to remaine and continue one bodye by that name incorporate 

 for ever, and by that name shall and maye sue and be sued, and 

 otherwise doe, performe and receyve all and every e other thinge 

 that any bodye corporate maye doe, performe or receyve : and also 

 knowe ye that we have nominated, elected, and appoynted one 

 Lewis Shessell to be the present and first Maister or Governour 

 there, and that the rest of the poore people that are at this presente 

 in and of the same laser howse shalbe the firste brethren and 

 sisters there. And furder our will and plesure is that it shall 

 frome tyme to time be in the free eleccion of the Maister or 

 Governour, brethren, and sisters, lyvinge or remayninge, or of the 

 moste parte of them, to make choise or eleccion frome tyme to 

 tyme, as often as any of the brethren and sistei's shall dye or de- 

 parte the said Hospitall, to elect and chuse others in the place or 

 steed of the person or persons soe d3''enge and departinge the said 

 Hospitall, to be of their corporacion and fellowship, so that the 

 full nomber of forty e, and no more, be there contynuenge ; and 

 likewise upon the death or departure of every Master or Gover- 

 nour of the said Hospitall, that the brethren and sisters, or the 

 moste parte of them remayninge, shall frome tyme to tyme make 

 choyse of a newe Maister or Governour, and that suche choyse 

 shall remayne good and stable, and the person so by them or the 

 moste parte of them elected shalbe and continewe their Maister 

 and Governour. And also the said Maister, brethren, and sisters 

 shall twise every daye assemble themselves together and use suche 

 prayers as are nowe appointed in the Churche of England, and 

 shall in their said prayers pray for the prosperous estaite of us, 



