RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



If the heir was a minor, and the appointment 

 was delayed for a month, then during the next 

 fortnight the Prior of the Charterhouse was to 

 appoint. If he failed, then the mayor, and again 

 if the mayor failed within his fortnight, then the 

 Archdeacon of the East Riding or his official was 

 to make the appointment. 



Provision was made for the annual rendering of 

 the accounts of the house. A chest was to be 

 kept in the treasury of the adjoining priory, into 

 which the founder had placed 1 00 marks of 

 silver. It was to be under the custody of the 

 master, the prior, and the mayor. The lOO 

 marks was to be lent out, and the interest 

 placed in the chest and added to the capital. 

 By licence of King Richard, the founder gave 

 also 5 messuages in Kingston-upon-HulI, and 

 land and pasture in Cottingham and Willerby, 

 A considerable addition to the endowment of 

 this hospital of Myton was made in 1408 by 

 Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, Sir Edmund 

 de la Pole, and Robert Bolton.* 



The hospital escaped at the dissolution of 

 the priory, and in the chantry certificates' is 

 described as ' Thospitall of Saint Mychaell, 

 commonlie called Goddes House without the 

 Gates of Hulle.' William Man was then 

 master, and there were only six brothers and six 

 sisters, owing to the decay of the endowment 

 first given at the foundation, which in this case 

 is stated to have been 12 March, 7 Richard II 

 [1384-5]. The hospital was said to be within 

 Trinity parish, and it was needed for the 

 living of the master and relieving of poor and 

 impotent people, with twelve persons then in the 

 house. The goods, ornaments, &c. as by 

 inventory were valued at ^^ "js. 8^., and the 

 plate at 421. The whole of the other tene- 

 ments and rentals after deducting reprises, &c. 

 amounted to ^bi is. There was the site of the 

 house and houses for sixteen poor people under 

 one roof, the chapel, three gardens separated, with 

 a highway leading to the late Charterhouse, and 

 environed with a brick wall, and containing an 

 acre and a half of ground. 



In 1571 ^^ the mayor and aldermen com- 

 plained to Archbishop Grindal against Thomas 

 Turner that during the thirteen years he had 

 been master he had misused the hospital, ' not 

 only in receiving and admitting thither such as 

 be neither halt, lame, nor blind, but such as are 

 well to live in the world, and have plenty of 

 money, so as to let it out to usury. As also in 



'Pat. 9 Hen. IV, pt. ii, m. 14 ; 10 Hen. IV, pt. i, 

 m. 3 ; Anct. Pet. 125 17. 



'Torks. Chant. Surv. (Surt. Soc), 338. 



'"Tickell, Hist, of Hull, 227-37. The mayor and 

 aldermen describe themselves as the patrons of the 

 hospital ' of the Holy Trinity nigh Kingston-upon- 

 Hull aforesaid, otherwise called God's-house, or the 

 Hospital of St. Michael.' The true invocation would 

 therefore seem to be that of the Holy Trinity. 



letting out of leases of such lands and tenements 

 as belong to the hospital, as well in reversion 

 as by surrender of the old leases, and that for 

 many years, and taking great fines, and incomes 

 for the same,' &c. 



Eventually four of the aldermen with the two 

 chamberlains and the town clerk examined the 

 master's accounts for 1560 to 1 57 1, and found 

 him on various heads indebted to the hospital to 

 the amount of ^69 i8j. 3^. Turner urged that 

 he had only followed the example of his pre- 

 decessors, and had not acted mala fide. This 

 excuse was accepted, and it was decided not to 

 compel him to make restitution ; but they ex- 

 amined the leases he had let, and as he had 

 granted some for unusually long periods, and 

 others in reversion, these were declared void. AH 

 were given up, and fresh leases for twenty- 

 one years were granted with the assent of the 

 brothers and sisters of the house. For the better 

 rule of the hospital in future seventeen ordinances 

 were compiled, which can only be briefly men- 

 tioned here. In the first place the original 

 ordinances were to stand and be enforced 'so as 

 they be not contrary, varying, or repugnant to 

 the most wholesome and godly laws of this realm 

 now established for the true religion of God.' 



There was again to be the full number of 

 thirteen brothers and thirteen sisters with their 

 ancient allowances. The master was yearly to 

 render an account of his administration, with a 

 full statement of all lands and chattels, in writing, 

 to the mayor and two aldermen, and twice a year 

 to make a full survey of the edifices and 

 buildings belonging to the hospital and see to 

 their repair. Daily, or at least thrice a week, 

 the master was to say divine service, viz., morn- 

 ing and evening prayer from the Book of Com- 

 mon Prayer, and further instruct the brethren and 

 sisters in the catechism, and procure that the 

 brethren and sisters should each communicate at 

 least four times a year. He was not to alienate 

 any of the hospital property without the consent 

 of the brothers and sisters. He was not to 

 dismiss any of the brothers or sisters without the 

 consent of the mayor, and on the death of any 

 brother or sister he was to give notice to the 

 mayor within three days. Ths master's original 

 stipend of ^^lo was increased by £2 6s. Sd. a 

 year. Before Pentecost there was to be pro- 

 vided a muniment chest, to remain in the fittest 

 place in the hospital or in the safest place in the 

 town, with three keys of several fashions, one of 

 which the mayor was to have, the second the 

 master, and the third the senior chamberlain. 

 Steps were to be taken to increase the funds 

 so that more poor might benefit from the 

 hospital, and a new seal was to be made to be 

 called the common seal of the Hospital or 

 House of God ; it was to be used for leases, and 

 kept in a leather purse in the treasury chest. 

 All the brothers and sisters were to take oath to 



3" 



