A HISTORY OF 
magnificent scale to all who should contri- 
bute to the support of the hospital ; on the 
authority of five popes, eight Archbishops of 
Canterbury, and some also of York and 
many successive Bishops of London, Chester, 
Chichester, Valence, Hereford, Worcester, 
Ely, Norwich and Lincoln. It is witnessed 
by Lord Wenlock, Sir Thomas Hoo and the 
vicar of Luton. The hospital does not 
appear in the Valor Ecclesiasticus; it was 
probably richer in spiritual privileges than in 
temporal possessions. 
18. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN 
BAPTIST, LUTON 
This hospital, which was for the accom- 
modation of lepers, is only known through a 
single mention of it in the Patent Rolls. In 
1285 Nicholas le Heyward was put in 
exigent for burning the house of Richard atte 
Wynche ; and for binding the lepers of the 
hospital of St. John Baptist, Luton.’ 
19. THE HOSPITAL OF FARLEY 
NEAR LUTON 
The hospital at Farley near Luton was 
founded early in the reign of Henry II. on 
lands granted by him in 1156 to the brethren 
of ‘Santingfeld’ near Wissant? ; a master is 
first mentioned in 1198-9.2 The endow- 
ment consisted of lands in Ludgershall* near 
Brill, Bucks, and in Farley near Luton, worth 
respectively £3 and £2 a year. It was a hos- 
pital for the poor, and appears to have been 
dedicated to St. John Baptist like those at 
Bedford, Hockliffe, Toddington, etc. Its 
masters are several times mentioned in legal 
documents, but nothing is known of the 
history of the house and its inmates generally. 
tensians, with other prayers of number unknown, 
and Paters and Aves also—‘ no one knows how 
many but God.’ In the list of Bishops of Lincoln 
Grossetéte appears as ‘ Saint Robert.’ 
1 Pat. 15 Edw. I. m. 2d. 
2 Dugdale, Mon. vi. 639. Thomas Cancellarius is 
one of the witnesses to the foundation charter. 
The Pipe Rolls of 1156 and 1158 mention ‘ terris 
datis fratribus hospitalis de Witsand’ in Bedford- 
shire. The Rev. H. Cobbe, Luton Church, 498, 
suggests that Henry IT. had been received at the 
hospital at Wissant after crossing the Channel in 
1156, and gave the lands on that occasion. 
3 Feet of F. (Rec. Com.), 10 Rich. I. 30. 
4 The three ‘hides’ there given by Henry II. 
are thus entered in the Testa de Neville, p. 245: 
‘Fratres de Huntingfeud (sic) tenent de feodo de 
Bruhull’ in Lutegareshall’ iij hydas in puram ele- 
mosinam. 
BEDFORDSHIRE 
It is possible that the story of the theft of 
some relics of St. Luke from the ‘hermitage 
of Farley’ in 1431, and how the three 
thieves were pursued by the men of Dun- 
stable as far as Barnet and the relics recovered, 
may refer to the chapel of the hospital,® 
though there may have been an actual her- 
mitage in the neighbourhood. 
As this hospital was a cell of the hospital at 
‘Santingfeld,’ it was reckoned in the fifteenth 
century amongst the alien priories, and 
granted in February 1448 to King’s College, 
Cambridge.® 
In 1291 the master of Farley had a mill, 
woods and rents valued at £5 12s. alto- 
gether.” 
A monument in Luton church which was 
long thought to be that of Lord Wenlock is 
now proved to be the tomb of William de 
Wenlock, master of Farley 1377 to 1392.° 
Masters oF FARLEY ® 
Mauger,'® occurs 1198 
William," ,, 1239 
John de la Rokele,’? occurs 1296 
John of Felmersham, ,, 1347 
William Lachebury,"* ,, 1347 
William of Wenlock,'® occurs 1377, died 
1392 
20. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. MARY 
MAGDALENE, DUNSTABLE 
This hospital was founded, like so many 
others, near the end of the twelfth century, 
receiving in 1209 from King John a letter of 
safe conduct for those who were collecting 
alms on behalf of the house.*® It was pro- 
bably founded under the patronage of the 
prior and canons of Dunstable, for the bene- 
fit of their town, and was intended for lepers 
5 John of Amundesham, Ann. Mon. S. Albani, 
i. $9. 
‘arn 26 Hen. VI. pt. 1, m. 7. 
7 Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 47, 49. 
8 Cobbe, Luton Church, 283. 
® This list is found in Luton Church, from which 
nearly all the references for this hospital have been 
obtained. 
10 Feet of F. (Rec. Com.), 10 Rich. I. 30 ; Cobbe, 
Luton Church, 500. 
11 Tbid. Sor. 
12 Pat. 22 Edw. I. m. 7. 
18 Pat. 21 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 13. William of 
Lachebury was restored in this year, having been 
master before John of Felmersham. 
14 Thid. 
16 Pat. 1 Rich. IT. pt. 5, m. 39. His will was 
proved in 1391 (Cobbe, Luton Church, 283). 
16 Pat, 10 John, m. 1 (28 March 1209). 
400 
