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 A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE 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. 1 8. 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. 1 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 1 156 to the brethren of ' Santingfeld ' near Wissant 2 ; a master is first mentioned in 1198-9. 3 The endow- ment consisted of lands in Ludgershall * near Brill, Bucks, and in Farley near Luton, worth respectively £1 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 Grossetete appears as ' Saint Robert.' 1 Pat. 15 Edw. I. m. 2d. ' Dugdale, Mon. vi. 639. Thomas Canccllarius 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 II. had been received at the hospital at Wissant after crossing the Channel in 1 156, and gave the lands on that occasion. 3 Feet of F. (Rec. Com.), 10 Rich. I. 30. « 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. 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, 5 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. 6 In 1 29 1 the master of Farley had a mill, woods and rents valued at £5 12s. alto- gether. 7 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. a Masters of Farley 9 Mauger, 10 occurs 1 198 William, 11 „ 1239 John de la Rokele, 12 occurs 1296 John of Felmersham, 13 „ 1347 William Lachebury, 14 „ 1347 William of Wenlock, 16 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. 16 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 John of Amundesham, Ann. Mon. S. Albani, 1.59. Pat. 26 Hen. VI. pt. I, m. 7. I Pope Nich. Tax. (Rec. Com.), 47, 49. B Cobbe, Luton Church, 283. This list is found in Luton Church, from which nearly all the references for this hospital have been obtained. >° Feet of F. (Rec. Com.), 10 Rich. I. 30 ; Cobbe, Luton Church, 500. II Ibid. 501. " Pat. 22 Edw. I. m. 7. « Pat. 21 Edw. III. pt. 3, m. 13. William of Lachebury was restored in this year, having been master before John of Felmersham. " Ibid. 15 Pat. 1 Rich. II. pt. 5, m. 39. His will was proved in 1391 (Cobbe, Luton Church, 283). 10 Pat. 10 John, m. 1 (28 March 1209). 400