FROM THE PAINTING BY C. ALLORI
St. Julian the Hospitaller was a singularly appropriate guardian. Gervase of Southampton was himself following the example of St. Julian when he turned his home into a resting-place for travellers. Leland refers to God’s House, Southampton, as “dedicate to Saynct Juliane the Bisshop,” but it was rather the “good harbourer” who was renowned in mediæval England. The saint has been depicted in art helping a leprous youth out of the ferryboat and welcoming him to his house. (Pl. XXIX.) At the passage of the river at Thetford was a hospital, the chapel of which commemorated St. Julian; and the leper-house near St. Albans was in his honour.
St. Alexis.—The story of Alexis himself is some clue to the unique dedication found at Exeter. He forsook his home for many years, and when at last he returned he was recognized by no one, but his parents welcomed the ragged stranger for the sake of their wandering son. St. Alexis was therefore regarded as the patron of mendicants.
St. George and St. Christopher.—There were hospitals of St. George at Tavistock and Shrewsbury; the latter gave his name to one of the gates and contributed his cross to the arms of the town. That of Yeovil was dedicated to “St. George and St. Christopher the Martyrs”; each pensioner was to wear upon his breast a red cross “as a sign and in honour of St. George the Martyr, patron of the house of alms.” The squire of Thame put his bedemen under the care of St. Christopher, as is set forth upon his tomb:—
“that founded in the church of Thame a chantrie, vi pore men and a fraternitye, In the worship of Seynt Cristofore to be relevid in perpetuyte.” p260
[♦ ] 35. SEAL OF ST. KATHERINE’S, BRISTOL
St. Margaret; St. Katherine; St. Ursula.—There are eighteen houses in honour of St. Margaret, and they are chiefly for lepers. It is possible that in the case of Huntingdon the name may enshrine the memory of the saintly lady of Scotland, who died in 1093, although, it is true, she was not canonized until 1250; her son, David of Huntingdon, built St. John’s in that town, and he may have founded St. Margaret’s, of which his daughter and grandson were benefactors. The hospitals dedicated to St. Katherine also number about eighteen. That royal saint was chosen by Stephen’s queen as the protector of her charitable foundation for women. Katharine of Aragon obtained for this house a gift of relics, including part of the tomb of the saint sent by the Pope, “out of respect for the Hospital of St. Katharine.” The seal of this house and of that at Bristol (Fig. 35) show the saint crowned, p261 with sword and wheel, and the latter device was also worn on the habit. Wigston’s hospital, Leicester, was named “St. Ursula and St. Catherine.” Bonville’s almshouse at Exeter includes in its unique dedication St. Ursula’s famed companions; it was in honour of “The Blessed Virgin, the Eleven Thousand Virgins and St. Roch.”
St. Anne; St. Helen.—The mother of the Blessed Virgin was commemorated at Ripon, and together with other saints at Norwich, Oakham, Stoke-by-Newark, Brentford and Hereford. St. Helen, the mother of Constantine, had hospitals at Derby and Braceford, besides that alluded to under the title “Holy Cross.”