Old Hampshire Mapped
Leland's Hampshire 1635-43
Transcription (18)Southampton Castle
Holy Rood Church
Grey Friars
God's House Hospital
The glorie of the castelle is yn the dungeon, that is both larg, fair, and very stronge, both by worke and the site of it.
Minns:- The donjon or 'keep' where the garrison could retreat in case of necessity, Speed describes it as 'most beautiful, in form circular.'
There be 5. paroche chirches withyn the toun of Hampton.
The Holie Roode Chirch stondeth yn the chief strete of the town.
Minns:- The other four Churches would be St. Michael, All Saints, St. Lawrence, and St. John. The two latter parishes were united September 3rd, 1708, and the Church of St. John was pulled down. Holy Rood stood originally in the middle of the High Street. The church was removed to its present position in 1320.
There was a college of Grey Freres in the est south est part of the toune touching to the toune waulle betwixt the est and the south est gates.
There is an hospitale yn the toun toward the south caullyd Goddes house, wheryn is a chapelle dedicate to Saynct Juliane the bisshop.
Thys [ho]spitale was foundyd by 2. [march]auntes beyng bretherne, [whereof] the one was caullyd Ge[rvasius, the o]ther Protasius, [of the sayntes day by likelih]od that they were [borne].
Minns:- 'God's House,' an ancient hospital or almshouse, with its chapel dedicated to St. Julian, the patron of travellers, was probably first intended for the reception of pilgrims. It was founded by Gervase le Riche, prepositus of Southampton in 1185. It was granted by Edward III. to Queen's College, Oxford, and the use of the chapel, now known as the French Church, was conceded to Walloon refugees by Queen Elizabeth.
These 2. brethern, as I there lernid, dwellyd yn the very place wher the hospitale is now at such tyme as Old-Hampton was brent by pyrates.
These 2. brethern for Goddes sake cause their house to be turnid to an hospitale for poore folkes, and endowed it with sum landes.
Minns:- Leland has confused the foundation of God's House with two martyrs of Rome - Gervasius and Protasius - whose remains were believed to have been discovered by St. Ambrose, by whom they were buried in his newly-founded cathedral of Milan, of which they became the patron saints. At anyrate no Protasius is discoverable in connection with God's House.
I redde in an old registre at Wynchester, wher names of abbays, priories, and hospitales that were of the patronage of the Bisshop of Winchester were named, emonge the which was Hospitale sive Domus Dei de Hampton.
I take it this, that sum Bisshop of Winchester renewid the old fundation adjecting more lande, and so had the patronage.
Syns by the request of a quene it was impropriate to the Quenes College yn Oxforde. They maynteyn the [hos]pitale, and take the residew of [the pro]fites.
Minns:- Robert de Eglesfield founded circa 1340 Queen's College, Oxford, namimg it after Queen Philippa, to whom he was chaplain. His College languishing for lack of funds he used his influence with the Queen to persuade the King to bestow the 'Hospital' of God's House with its possessions on his lately-founded College.
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