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 A HISTORY OF NORFOLf^ Benedict Cobbe,' elected 1395 Robert Fonline,' elected 1399 Roger Prat,' resigned 1 41 2 Robert Spenser,* elected 141 2 William Sepyngton LL.B.,' 1431 Roger Pratte,^ elected 1 43 1 John Walpool/ elected 1436 Hugh Acton,* elected 1437 John Schott, LL.D.,' elected 1464 John Smith,'" elected 1479 Oliver Dynham," elected 1489 Thomas Schenkwyn,^^ elected 1495 Nicholas Goldwell," elected 1497 Robert Honywood,^* elected 1498 John JuUys,'' 1499 William Cooper,^* 15 13 John Hekker," occurs 1526 Thomas Cappe, LL.D.,'* elected 1532 Thomas Simmondes," 1535 Robert Codde,*'' 1537 Nicholas Shaxton,^' elected 1546, last master There is a very imperfect seal ad causas of this hospital attached to a charter of 1306, show- ing the church with central tower.^^ A cast of a fine impression of a late thirteenth- century seal of the master and brethren (if in. Xii in.) bears St. Giles seated, with an arrow-wounded fawn leaping at him. In the base a cross surmounted by a mitre. Legend : — ^ s'mAGRI • ET . FRM . SCI - EGIDII . DE, NORWIC " 82. THE HOSPITAL OF HILDE- BROND, NORWICH 2* This hospital was founded in the ancient parish of St. Edward, at the beginning of the thirteenth century, by Hildebrond le Mercer, citizen, and Maud his wife. The patronage was given to the bishop. The founders also built, for the use of the brethren and occupants, a chapel, dedicated to the honour of St. Mary, adjoining the west end of St. Edward's church ; ' Norw. Epis. Reg. vi, 208. ' Ibid, vi, 251. ' Ibid, vii, 49. ' Ibid. ' Ibid, ix, 44. ^ Ibid, ix, 46. ' Ibid, ix, 88. * Ibid. X, 7. ' Ibid, xi, 7. '» Ibid, xii, 68. " Ibid, xii, 138. " Blomefield, Hist. e/Norf. iv, 400. " Ibid. " Ibid. " City Rec. 70. " Norw. Epis. Reg. xiii, 44. '■ Blomefield, Hist, of Nor/, iv, 400 ; Add. Ch. '4793- '* Norw. Epis. Reg. xiv. " Blomefield, Hist. o/Norf. iv, 400. '°Ibid. "CitvRec. 70. •- B.M. Top. Ch. 52. » B.M.,D. C. F. 39. " Kirkpatrick, Relig. Ord. of Norm. 230-6 ; Dug- dale, Mon. vi, 768 ; Blomefield, Hist, of Norf iv, 71-2 ; Taylor, InJex Monastic us, 56. 446 but when this church became wholly appropriated to the hospital, and the parish united to that of St. Julian, about 1269, the chapel was only occasionally used, as the church was served by the hospital chaplain. The hospital was usually known as Hildebronde's, and the various colla- tions by the bishop in the institution books are entered in that name ; but it was also termed St. Mary's Hospital, and at a later date was popularly known as Ivy Hall. In the fourteenth-century register of the archdeaconry of Norwich, known as the ' Norwich Domesday,' is the following entry, cited by Mr. Kirkpatrick: — 'There is in the parish of St. Edward a certain hospital called Hildebronde's Spytelle, lying near the churchyard on the south side, built with houses and a hall, and chambers for the master. In which said hospital, poor people wanting lodging ought to be entertained, and to have a certain quantity of fuel [focalium) from the master.' It is further stated that the master had a chapel annexed to St. Edward's church (the simple inventory is given), where he could celebrate mass at his pleasure. The annual value of the hospital was estimated at lOOf. The infirmarian of the cathedral paid the hospital a rent of 2s. 6d.^^ ; the city paid it 71. bd. for stalls in the market ; and the hospital of St. Giles 2s, The common fate of so many of these hospitals overtook the one founded by citizen Hildebronde, namely the absorption of the major part of the income by the master. The bishops allowed the mastership to be held with other benefices, and seem to have considered their duties at an end when they had made a collec- tion. That abuses were rampant in 1428 appears from the will of William Setman, some time mayor of the city. He requested that a conference might be held with 'the master of Ivyhalle, late called the Hospital, in Conysford, in Norwich,' and if the master willed for tjie future to observe the ancient order of the hospital, and discharge its burden, then the rent of two houses was to be restored. ^^ From subsequent wills, cited by Kirkpatrick, it would appear that some care for the poor was discharged by this hospital later in the century. Thus Robert Steynton, rector of St. Julian's, bequeathed to it, in 1 440, a green coverlet and a pair of blankets, and a pair of sheets ; a will of 1457 made a bequest to the poor of the hospital of Ivy Hall, and a third will of 1459 left 2s. to the repair of the beds of the same hospital.*' Spoliation, however, again set in, for the Valor of 1535 gave the annual value of the messuage, with court and garden, of this hospital, as only 145.-' " Infirm. R. 34 Hen. VI. « Reg. Surflet, f. 124. " Kirkpatrick, Relig. Ord. ofNorzv. 234. " Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), vi, 292.