30 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
of the chirche ; " and as in the latter part of the fourteenth century 
Plymouth was a flourishing and wealthy town, it is at least fairly 
probable that both the Almshouse and the Maudlyn were founded 
at that period. The Almshouse, if we may trust the comparative 
features of the rental cited, was well-to-do in the reign of 
Henry VII. ; for against the 2s. 4d. paid by its wardens, the 
wardens of " St. Andrew of Plymouth " paid 6d. only ; those of 
St. Mary the same ; the holders of the Holy Cross (Ten sci crucs) 
the like amount; the Fraternity of Corpus Christi, Id. ; and the 
Prysten House (Domq psbiteros), which came nearest, 2s. Id. 
And there are other reasons for holding that even thus early it had 
been somewhat liberally endowed. The old records of the Borough 
Court mention at this date the existence of a toft in the south of 
Buck well Street belonging to the Almshouse. The next mention 
■ of property I have found is an entry in the White Book that the 
deeds of lands given by William Randall to the Almshouse were 
put into the Corporation chest September 26th, 1561. Moreover, 
on the 1st December following it was "given to understand" that 
Johanna Lake had left the remainder of her lands to the Alms- 
house. Also that "Mother Hacker" had given a piece of land 
upon " Crosse Downe " (it immediately adjoined the present Work- 
house site, east and south) to the Almshouse after the death of 
Thomas Clowter; while Clowter, on his part, gave to the same 
charity the reversion after his death of a house at Briton Side. 
And when four years later (1569) William Weeks (Mayor 
1549-50, 1558-59), for reasons which do not appear, bound him- 
self to make certain gifts to the town (including payments of £4 
to some good use ; of 20s. each to the poor men's coffer in the 
church and to the Almshouse ; four good wainscots and 3s. 4d. 
towards making of " puys " in the church ; a pledge to maintain 
and repair during his life the " cause " at Coxside which he had 
built ; and a promise of 5s. to the poor people at the Maudlyn), he 
promised to leave 6s. 8d. a year, out of whichever house of his 
the Corporation might choose, either towards the repair of the 
Church or to the Almshouse, " which ye like best." 
There are some curious references in an account of Nicholas 
Slanning, Town Clerk, against the Corporation in 1566, which 
deals mainly with expenses incurred about the vicarage, but also 
touches the Almshouse. Ten shillings are paid to Mr. Peryani 
(William Peryam, who sat for the town in Elizabeth's first Parlia- 
