Cotton Ch V 2

Foundation charter of Elsing Spital, Cripplegate, London, by William de Elsing, citizen of London, endowing the hospital with lands in the parishes of St Mary, Aldermanbury, St Lawrence Jewry, St Alphege, and St Martin, and setting down its constitution, including rules for the religious services to be held there, the conduct and dress of the staff, and the treatment of the sick. The house is to be run by five secular priests to and accommodate 100 men and women.

Witnesses: John of Putney and others.

Given at London, 1 June 1331.

Endorsed: 'Ffundacio et ordinacio hospitalis de Elsyng / Sub altare quinta' (14th century).

Affixed with two seals. The first, a seal of William Elsing, oval, green, with a heraldic shield with Christ on the cross between two angels, the left holding a hammer, the right the Spear of Longinus, an estoile beneath each, in chief a sword laying fesswise, handle to the left, in the base a figure praying. 'iesus nazarenus rex iudaeorum'. The second, a seal of the official of the diocese of London, lozenge, green, with St Paul, a sword in his hands, above a carved arch and between two spires, the keys of St Peter below. 'sigill[um] officialitatis london[ensis]'.