lodge beneath it; the retired ambulatory; the separate cells; the common
refectory; the venerable church; the black flowing dress and the silver
cross worn by the members; the conventual appellation of _brother_,
with which they salute each other; in short, the silence, the order, and
the neatness, that here reign, seem to recall the idea of a monastery to
those who have seen one, and will give no imperfect idea of such an
establishment to those who have not had that advantage."[3]

St. Cross, however, "never was a monastery, but only an hospital for
the support of ancient and infirm men, living together in a regular
and devout manner." The original founder was Henry de Blois, bishop of
Winchester, who instituted it, between the years 1132 and 1136; and
required that "thirteen poor men, so decayed and past their strength
that without charitable assistance they cannot maintain themselves,
shall abide continually in the hospital, who shall be provided with
proper clothing and beds suitable to their infirmities; and shall have
an allowance daily of good wheat bread, good beer, three messes each for
dinner, and one for supper. That beside these thirteen poor, a hundred
other poor, of modest behaviour and the most indigent that can be found,
shall be received daily at dinner-time, and shall have each a loaf of
coarser bread, one mess, and a proper allowance of beer, with leave to
carry away with them whatever remains of their meat and drink after
dinner." They were to dine in a hall appointed for the purpose, and
called _Hundred Mennes Hall_, from this circumstance. The establishment
also contained an endowment for a master, a steward, four chaplains,
thirteen clerks, and seven choristers.

But, in those "good old times," abuses in institutions formed for the
best and wisest purposes were not uncommon; and in the case of St.
Cross, so early did evil begin to counteract good, that, in little more