A HISTORY OF LONDON 24. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. THOMAS, SOUTHWARK Within the precincts of the monastery of St. Mary Overy there was a building appropriated to the use of the sick and the poor, which main- tained certain brethren and sisters. This adjunct of the priory is said to have been founded by St. Thomas of Canterbury, and after his canonization was called by his name.^ At the time of the disastrous fire of 1213 this building was much damaged ; Amicius, who was archdeacon of Surrey from about 1189 to 1215, was then custos or warden of the hospital. The canons at once erected a temporary building for the reception of the poor at a little distance from the priory, and within its chapel they held their own services whilst the priory was being rebuilt. Meanwhile Peter des Roches, bishop of Win- chester, disliking the situation, added to the endowment of the hospital, and built a new house, which, though still in Southwark, was on a site where the water was purer and the air more healthy.' This new hospital, which was also dedicated to St. Thomas the Martyr, was completed by 1 21 5. In 1 215 an indenture was made between Martin, prior of the church of St. Mary South- wark, and the canons of that place, and Amicius, archdeacon of Surrey, warden of the hospital of St. Thomas Southwark, and the brethren thereof, whereby the former granted that the brethren and sisters of the old hospital of St. Thomas might transfer themselves into the new hospital of the like dedication (which had been founded as the property of the church of Winchester, and was free from all subjection to the church of St. Mary), together with all their goods, rents and lands, saving the lands which the prior and canons had always retained to their own use, to wit, the whole land of Mele- well or Milkwell in Camberwell and Lambeth, with the place of the old hospital and the whole of the garden in Trinity Lane, which Ralph Carbonel sold to the old hospital quit of all demand on the part of the warden and brethren against the said canons. In exchange for the land of Melewell, the canons gave the brethren 13^. rents in Southwark. The canons also granted that the market for corn and other goods, which used to be at the doors of the old hospital, should be transferred to the doors of the new hospital. They also provided that the old ' Cal. Pap. Letters, , 304. ' IJbi aqua est uberior et aer est sanior. Ann. Mon. (Rolls Ser.), iii, 457. The date given for this trans- lation of the hospital in these Annals is 1228, which is clearly wrong, as Amicius is mentioned as arch- deacon of Surrey, a post he did not hold after 121 5. There is also a mistake in the previous date of the fire, which is given as 1207 instead of 12 1 3. hospital (in ruins from the fire), on the with- drawal of the brethren and sisters, be shut up for ever, on condition that the canons might build whatever they liked on the plot, except a hospital, and they bound themselves that never hereafter should another hospital be built by them in the public street of Southwark. All writings that had been obtained from the pope or king pendente lite were to be surrendered, so that every occasion of litigation might be taken away.^ There is a large paper chartulary of this hospital, consisting of 321 folios, at the British Museum, which was drawn up about the year 1525. It is not quite complete, and lacks un- fortunately the first leaf. It begins at the top of the page, which is lettered fundacione with the end of an episcopal charter of confirmation of the grant of the tithe of hay in all his lordships made by Reginald de Brettyngherst to the brothers and sisters of the hospital. The first charter recited in full is a brief confirmation by Bishop Peter des Roches. This is followed by a grant of a cemetery and burial rights to the hospital by the prior and convent of St. Mary Southwark, under certain restrictions. The hospital agreed not to have more than two bells weighing 100 lb. in their bell-tower {campanario)^ and to pay bs. 8d. yearly to the priory and 1 2d. yearly at Easter to the vicar of St. Mary Magdalen. Burial was to be granted not only to all such as died within their own precincts, but also to all others who might desire it, and who were not parishioners of either St. Mary Magdalen's or St. Margaret's. This concession by the priory was obtained by the interference of Peter des Roches, who was bishop of Winchester from 1205 to 1238.' A later instrument, however, given in the chartulary shows that the rector of St. Margaret's, as well as the vicar of St. Mary Magdalen's, secured i2d. a year by this agreement as to the cemetery, and the subsidy of the priory was reduced from 6s. 8d. to 2s.^ In 1238 the warden and brethren granted to Luke, archdeacon of Surrey, a hall in the chapel, stable and other appurtenances within the hospi- tal precincts, for life, for his own occupation. He covenanted for himself and successors that they should not by virtue of this grant claim any authority, jurisdiction, property, or succession in the same to the damage of the warden and brethren. The archdeacon in 1249, under the title of Luke de Rupibus, papal sub-deacon, released to the hospital all his dwelling rights.' All archidiaconal rights of visitation were ceded to the hospital, so that no archdeacon of Surrey nor his official could exercise any ' Pat. 33 Edw. I, pt. I, m. 2. At that date there was an inspection and confirmation of a chirograph of 1215.
- Stowe MS. 942. ' Ibid. fol. 2.
• Ibid. fol. 4. ' Ibid. fol. 4, 4^. 538
