The Mediæval Hospitals of England by Rotha Mary Clay
CHAPTER IX
288 words | Chapter 66
THE CONSTITUTION
“_It is agreed amongst men of religion that order be observed,
because without order there is no religion._” (Rules of St. John’s,
Nottingham.)
We now turn to the inner working of the hospital and inquire how the
lives of inmates were ordered.
Early charitable institutions were under a definite rule, either that
of the diocesan bishop or of the monastic order with which they were
in touch. In the Constitutions of Richard Poore of Sarum (_circa_
1223), one clause is headed: “Concerning the Rule of Religion, how
it is lawful to found a _xenodochium_.” Persons desiring so to do
shall receive a form of government from the bishop, “since too great
diversity of forms of religion brings in confusion to the church of
God.” Laymen therefore applied for an episcopal constitution; the
burgesses of Nottingham, for instance, charged Archbishop Gray with
the drawing up of an “Ordination” for St. John’s (1231–4). Even when
a community was under a monastic house, the diocesan was often asked
to compile statutes, as Grossetête did for Kingsthorpe and Bishop
Stratford for Ilford; but the abbot of St. Albans drew up his own
code for St. Julian’s. There was apparently a definite Anglican Rule,
for “The Statutes of St. James’ according to the Use of the Church of
England” were promulgated at Canterbury in 1414. [p127]
Founders and patrons also had a voice in the matter, sometimes drawing
up the rule and submitting it to their Father in God; thus the
Ordinances of St. Mark’s, Bristol, made by the patron and “exhibited to
the Bishop” (1268) are entered in the registers.
Most hospitals followed a definite system, at least in theory, as to
admission, observation of regulations and penalties for disobedience.
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