The Mediæval Hospitals of England by Rotha Mary Clay
7. ALMS OF PILGRIMS
582 words | Chapter 86
Such visits to hospitals lead to the further consideration of
pilgrimage and devotion to relics, which directly affected charity.
An indulgence was offered to penitents visiting Yarmouth hospital
and the sacred relics therein and giving a helping hand to the poor
inhabitants. The Maison Dieu at Dunwich possessed a holy cross of great
reputation “whither many resorted to adore it, who bestowed much alms.”
When the precious relic was carried away and detained “by certain
evil-wishers” connected with St. Osith’s Abbey, the inmates were
greatly impoverished.[114] The abbot having been prosecuted, came into
chancery in person and rendered the cross to the king, who restored it
to the master and brethren “to remain in the hospital for ever.” Holy
Cross, Colchester, claimed to keep a portion of the true Cross; an
indulgence was offered by various bishops to those paying pilgrimage
visits and contributing to the hospital. (See pp. 248–9.) [p191]
[Illustration: _PLATE XXII._ LEPER HOSPITAL OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW,
OXFORD]
Other treasures visited by pilgrims were of a more personal character.
Anthony à Wood found records of choice things formerly preserved in
St. Bartholomew’s, Oxford, whereby it was enriched:—“they were possest
of St. Edmund the Confessor’s combe, St. Barthelmew’s skin, the bones
of St. Stephen, and one of the ribbes of St. Andrew.” The first and
foremost of the sacred relics was evidently a personal possession of
the local saint, Archbishop Edmund Rich, a native of Abingdon:—“Those
that were troubled with continuall headaches,” (University students,
perhaps) “frenzies, or light-headed, were by kembing their heads with
St. Edmund’s combe restored to their former health.” On high days
and holy days these treasures were exposed to view in the chapel.
(Pl. XXII.) They were of so great value that the authorities of Oriel
College, having acquired the patronage, appropriated them, “which
caused great complaints from these hospitalliers.”
[Illustration: 28. A HOSPITAL ALMS-BOX]
The alms of pilgrims and other travellers were a valuable asset in
the funds, for it was customary for those so journeying to spend much
in charity by the way. On the penitential pilgrimage of Henry II to
Canterbury (1174) “as he passed on his way by chapels and hospitals
he did his duty as a most devout Christian and son of Holy Church
by confession of sin and distribution of offerings and gifts.”[115]
Halting at Harbledown he left the sum of forty marks, probably
because the hospital belonged to the bereaved archbishopric. Long
afterwards, another king—John of France—passed along the road, leaving
at sundry hospitals a substantial proof of his gratitude for release
from captivity. Among his [p192] expenses are included gifts to
“les malades de 4 maladeries depuis Rocestre jusques à Cantobérie,
pour aumosne”; also to the communities of St. James’, St. John’s at
the Northgate, St. Mary’s, and Harbledown, and to the brethren of
Ospringe; whilst the king gave as much as twenty nobles to the Maison
Dieu, Dover, where he was received as a guest.[116] Situated close to
the highway, on the hill which eager travellers were about to climb
to catch their first sight of the grand tower of Canterbury, the
Harbledown lepers benefited by the gifts of pilgrims for three and
a half centuries. Treasured in the hospital (Pl. V) was a relic of
“the glorious martyr” to whose shrine they wended. “This fragment
of his [p193] shoe supports this little community of poor men,” says
Ogygius in the _Colloquy on Pilgrimages_,[117] where Erasmus describes
his visit to Canterbury with Dean Colet sometime before the year
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