He was halden an hali man
Imange his felaus.
The fermery was the hospital or ‘spital’[[180]] attached to each religious house, and was under the immediate control of the above-mentioned officer. It is with him, therefore, we may fitly ally ‘Robert le Almoner,’ or ‘Michael le Aumoner,’ a name still abiding with us, and representative of him who dispensed the alms to the lazars and the poor. It is in allusion to this his office that Robert Brunne in one of his tales says:—
Seynt Jone, the aumenere,[[181]]
Saith Pers, was an okerere
And was very coveytous
And a niggard and avarus.
Of the same officer in more lordly society the ‘Boke of Curtasye’ thus speaks—
The Aumonere a rod schalle have in honde,
An office for almes, I understonde;