PART ONE

CHAPTER IHOSPITALS FOR WAYFARERS AND THE SICK

“Founded for the maintenance of poor pilgrims and other infirm persons resorting thither to remain until they are healed of their infirmities.”

“For the poor, for persons going to Rome, for others coming to Canterbury and needing shelter, and for lying-in women.” (St. Thomas’, Canterbury.)

THE earliest char­i­ta­ble ins­ti­tu­tions of Eng­land were houses of hos­pi­ta­li­ty. In sketch­ing the dev­e­lop­ment of these guest-houses we must bear in mind that the hos­pi­tal (de­rived from hos­pes, a host or guest) was a way­side shel­ter for all co­mers.

FIRST PERIOD (circa 925–1170)

[♦ ] 1. ST. JOHN’S HOSPITAL, OXFORD

Travellers were ex­posed to per­il by the rude­ness of the times, but in those early days hos­pi­tal­ity was re­gard­ed as a so­lemn ob­li­ga­tion. To re­ceive any stran­ger was a p002 duty: to wel­come the pas­sing pil­grim was a sa­cred priv­i­lege. Al­though the private ent­er­tain­ment of guests was wide­ly prac­tised, some public ins­ti­tu­tions were required. Tradition tells of at least two “hospitals” or hospices founded in the tenth century (925–940). Both were in Yorkshire,[3] one being in the distant country parts, the other in the populous town. At Flixton in Holderness was a house of refuge “to preserve travellers from being devoured by the wolves and other voracious forest beasts.”[4] The city of York, on the other hand, was so great a place of thoroughfare that it was impossible to entertain all who came. Athelstan, recognizing that the Canons of the Minster were men of holy life, active in helping the needy who flocked to them, assisted them in their hospitality by the foundation of St. Peter’s hospital.

Two other early houses of charity are ascribed to the Saxon bishops Oswald and Wulstan of Worcester. In the eleventh century at least we emerge from tradition, for it seems clear that St. Wulstan founded that hospital near his cathedral city which afterwards bore his name. It will be remembered that bishops were especially bound by their vows at consecration to be given to hospitality. In pre-Norman days, the solemn question was in substance what is asked to-day: “Wilt thou shew mercy and kindness, for the name of the Lord, to the poor, the stranger, and all in want?” (pauperibus et peregrinis omnibusque indigentibus). To this the elected bishop p003 replied, “I will.” This formula occurs in the Exeter Pontifical, compiled about nine hundred years ago, and is repeated in Osmund’s Sarum Use.

There were, of course, pilgrims among those who sojourned in early hostels. Englishmen have always loved travel. Not only did our Saxon forefathers journey to Rome (receiving shelter by the way in hospitals of English foundation), but they constantly visited their national shrines. Probably a fresh impetus was given to pilgrimage by the coming of the Normans. Monastic life was strengthened, and this was a guarantee of hospitality. “Guests are to be received as if they were Christ Himself,” said the rule of St. Benedict. In the century after the Conquest, as in those which preceded it, the chief works of mercy were done in the monastery. There was the hospitium within the abbey-gate, as at St. Mary’s, York; and the “Strangers’ Hall” at Winchester. Then followed the shelter outside the walls, as at Battle, referred to (circa 1076) as “the house of the pilgrims which is called the hospital.” During the twelfth century more independent foundations became common. All sorts and conditions of men were lodged—wayfarers, invalids, and even lepers.