RELIGIOUS HOUSES 



Mary, and St. Leonard, and the poor according 

 to the best of their ability. The regular sisters 

 were to make a similar profession, promising also 

 to devote their labours to the needs of the sick. 

 The conversi, who were not sick or otherwise 

 occupied, were to attend matins, and both they 

 and the sisters were to hear at least one mass 

 daily. 



None were to confess except to the master or 

 cellarer. If any brother or sister was openly 

 defemed of incontinence, proprietorship, perjury, 

 rebellion, or other excess, punishment was to be 

 awarded the delinquent in chapter by the master 

 or cellarer. 



A special camera was to be provided in the 

 house in which offending and incorrigible 

 brothers could be imprisoned. The number of 

 conversi was to be regulated by the master and 

 chaplain-brothers as seemed best for the house, 

 but the ancient number (not specified) was not 

 to be exceeded. 



As the number of the regular sisters exceeded 

 that which was customary, no woman was to be 

 received as a sister till the number was reduced 

 to eight, and that niunber was to be adhered to. 

 The sisters were to have their meals in habitaculis, 

 separate from the brothers, and one of them, 

 chosen by the master with consent of the 

 brothers, was to preside over them, direct, and 

 chastise them. The sisters were not to do work 

 for sale {non faciant operaciones venales), but were 

 to be busied only with attending to the needs of 

 the poor, and were to use the customary habit, 

 not too elaborate, no long supertunics and 

 mantles, but gowns, that they might more easily 

 minister to the poor. Nor were they to have 

 secular serving-maids, from whom sinister sus- 

 picion might arise. 



Lay sisters should under no pretext reside in 

 the hospital, nor were women to be taken as 

 boarders. 



The brothers were to eat together in the 

 refectory, quietly, the chaplain-brothers occupy- 

 ing the upper part, and the conversi the lower. 

 They were to have two services of food {Jercula) 

 daily, and on days that were kept as double 

 feasts in the quire they were to have a pittance 

 in addition. On Wednesdays, Fridays, and 

 Saturdays abstinence from meat was enjoined in 

 the refectory. 



If any brother or sister were openly convicted 

 super lapsu carnis, such a one, for the first occa- 

 sion, was to be sharply punished by the master 

 or cellarer, and if afterwards he or she committed 

 such an offence a penance was to be undergone 

 till signs of contrition merited remission. 



Each chaplain-brother was to have yearly 

 2 marks for his clothes, his shoes from the 

 tannery, and 1 8i. for his shirts ; and all the 

 brothers in common $s. for gloves, and each 

 sister 9i, for necessaries. 



Provision was made for the due rule of the 



house, and to the master was committed its full 

 custody. The master was to provide vestments, 

 books, chalices, and other necessaries. 



Thirty poor folk (seculars and others) who 

 were called custumarii were to have the accus- 

 tomed alms daily at the hospital gate, besides 

 prisoners in the city of York and lepers in the 

 ancient leper houses of the city ; and in addition 

 there were always to be in the house the cus- 

 tomary number of sick poor folk, namely 206, 

 and this number was to be carefully maintained. 

 The sick were not to be dismissed until con- 

 valescent and able to work, when others were 

 to take their place. Any who recovered and 

 were allowed to remain were to be set to work, 

 and were not to eat the bread of idleness. 



One or two chaplains (secular or regular) 

 were to be appointed by the cellarer, with advice 

 of the master, to hear the confessions of the poor, 

 and to administer the sacrament when necessary ; 

 and these chaplains were to go round the house 

 at least once a night, speaking salutary and con- 

 solatory words to the sick, and by pious exhorta- 

 tions persuading them to confession, and penitence 

 for their sins. The master, too, was to appoint 

 the sisters in turns to minister to the sick, and 

 they were to give them food and drink as needed, 

 cover them, wash them, and lead them about as 

 human necessity required, and if any of them 

 needed the viaticum, or sought confession, the 

 sisters were at once to inform the priests. 



The sick received into the house were to have 

 the accustomed livery of food, but when any 

 were too sick for the common livery they were 

 to be provided for out of the money given or 

 bequeathed for the pittance of the poor, accord- 

 ing to the ordinance of the master. There were 

 not to be more secular priests as cantorists in the 

 house than necessary. The janitor of the great 

 gate and the ostiarius in the farmery [fermorie) ^' 

 were to be circumspect in their offices, and no 

 persons, except on proper business at lawful 

 hours, were to be admitted. 



If they detected any person secretly or openly 

 taking things away, they were to inform the 

 master. 



When the master resided in the house he was 

 to do so honourably, but not at too great a charge 

 to the house. He might have a secular chaplain, 

 two domsels, and other necessary servants and 

 men, and eight horses at the expense of the 

 house. 



The master was to see that those brothers 

 who were apt and wished to study should attend 

 the theological schools in York after they had 

 celebrated divine service, and there was to be a 

 building, divided into thirteen studies {studio), 

 where they could study Holy Scripture. 



The demesne and other lands were to be 

 properly cultivated, and proper stocks kept in the 



" Elsewhere ' infermaria ' is the word used. 



339 



