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 A HISTORY OF RUTLAND 3. HOSPITAL OF ST. MARGARET, GREAT CASTERTON There was a hospital for lepers at Great Casterton in 13 n, when Bishop Dalderby granted an indulgence to those who should assist its inmates.' Licence to beg was granted for two years to the proctors of the infirm brethren of this house in 1328.'" Nothing further is known of its history. 4. HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN EVANGE- LIST AND ST. ANNE AT OAKHAM The hospital of St. John Evangelist and St. Anne was founded in 1398 by William Dalby, merchant of the staple of Calais. It was intended to support twelve poor men, under the charge of two chaplains, one to be warden and perpetual, the other being removable. The advowson of the hospital was to be in the hands of the prior and convent of St. Anne's, Coventry.' William Dalby granted an estate worth ^^40 a year for the foundation, and a little later paid 577 marks to the prior and convent of St. Anne's to increase the endowment ;' but in 1534 the yearly value of the hospital was only j^l2 12s, lid? The reason for the diminution of its income cannot easily be traced, as so little is known of the early histor}' of the hospital. In 141 9 Roger Flore, son-in-law of the founder, granted a messuage, a toft, and 70 acres of land and meadow for the sustentation of the chaplain and poor men, who were still twelve in number ; ^ and two years later the statutes were revised and corrected, and provision was made that if the patrons did not appoint a warden or fill vacancies in the house, the presentation should devolve upon the vicar ' Line. Epis. Reg. Memo. Dalderby, fol. 201 d. ^ Wright, Hist, of Rut. 103. ' Pat. 6 Hen. IV, pt. i, m. 19. ' Valor Eccl. (Rec. Com.), iv, 343. ' Inq. a.q.d. 5 Hen. V, no. 18. '° Wright, Hist, of Rut. 102 ; from a deed which was then in possession of the vicar of Oakham. The original has now disappeared, but there is no reason to doubt that Wright described it correctly. " MS. at Oakham. " Wright, Hist, of Rut. 102, from an inscription in one of the chapel windows. " Cal. S.P. Dom. 1595-7, p. 398 ; Pat. 39 Eliz. " Lambeth Lib. Tenison MS. 639, fol. 428 d. '* The charity survives in the form of an annual sum of j^i4 given to each of twenty poor people in of Oakham.^" An indenture was made between the warden and patron and the prior of St. Anne's with regard to rent from the manor of Edith Weston, in 1436.'' After this we have no further record of the fortunes of the house until 1534, when, as we have already noticed, its revenues were much diminished. The hospital is not mentioned in the Chantry Certificate of 1548, but it was certainly in exist- ence. The name of a warden who lived in 1570 was long preserved ; " and permission was granted by the queen in 1592 for some increase to be made to its income." The same Robert Johnson, Archdeacon of Leicester, who founded the New Hospital at Oakham, re-founded and endowed the old hospital of William Dalby : and in 1669 it still maintained six poor people, with a warden who was also rector of Ridling- ton.^* In Bishop Tanner's day it was in exist- ence, but ' much decayed, impoverished, and departed from its original purpose.' The old bede-housei have now entirely disappeared ; but the chapel of the hospital is still in use, being served by the clergy of the parish church.'' Wardens of Oakham " Simon Thorp, occurs 1404," 1405 '* William Baxter, occurs 1423, 1436^ Robert Watkynson, occurs 1546, 1554*' Robert Thorpe, occurs 1570°^ Richard Birkett, occurs 1581,°^ I597^' Robert Farington, occurs 1607^' James Watts, occurs 1665 ^^ John Love, appointed 1685^* John Warburton, appointed 1702 Samuel Adcock, appointed 1736 — Ball, appointed 1752 Oakham and the neighbourhood. (From information kindly supplied by the present vicar of Oakh.im.) " For these names we are indebted to Mr. V. B. Crowther-Beynon. " Pat. 6 Hen. IV, pt. 1, m. 19. "Will of William Dalby; Lincoln, 'Repyndon,' 6. The will also mentions Thomas Heremyte and John Godewj-n, two of the twelve poor people. " Early Chanc. Proc. vii, 108. " Indenture preserved at Oakham. " Rec. of Archdn. Northampton. " Lease preserved at Oakh.im. " Epis. Visitation, Peterborough. " Proc. Ct. of Req., Eliz. bdle. 32, no. 7. " Pat. 39 Eliz. " Lease preserved at Oakham. " Lambeth MS. 951, fol. 21. •* The last four names are from the Hospital Minute Book. 162
 * " Cal. Pat. 1327-30, p. 257.