offenders were summarily despatched from this world, for breach
of the rules.

The comforts in these houses varied greatly as the house was richly,
or poorly endowed. At some of the smaller ones, the inmates would seem
to have depended almost, if not entirely, on the precarious
contributions of the charitably disposed for their very sustenance. At
Beccles, in Suffolk, one of the Lepers of S. Mary Magdalene's, was by
a royal grant empowered to beg on behalf of himself and his brethren.
Sometimes, these poor and wretched outcasts would sit by the roadside,
with a dish placed on the opposite side, to receive the alms of the
good Samaritans that passed by, who would give them as wide a berth as
possible. The Lepers were not allowed to speak to a stranger, lest
they should contaminate him with their breath. To attract attention,
they would clash their wooden clappers together.

In the larger and richer houses, the inmates were well provided for.
The account of the food supplied to the inmates of the Lazar House of
S. Julian, at S. Albans, c. 1335-1349, is very curious:--"Let every
Leprous brother receive from the property of the Hospital for his
living and all necessaries, whatever he has been accustomed to receive
by the custom observed of old, in the said Hospital, namely--Every
week seven loaves, five white, and two brown made from the grain as
thrashed. Every seventh month, fourteen gallons of beer, or 8d. for
the same. Let him have in addition, on the feasts of All Saints, Holy
Trinity, S. Julian, S. John the Baptist, S. Albans, The Annunciation,
Purification, Assumption, and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, for
each feast, one loaf, one jar of beer, or 1d. for the same, and one
obolus[a] which is called the charity of the said Hospital; also, let
every Leprous brother receive, at the feast of Christmas, forty
gallons of good beer, or 40d. for the same; two qrs. of pure and clean
corn--which is called the great charity; also at the Feast of S.
Martin, each Leper shall receive one pig from the common stall, or the
value in money, if he prefer it." The pigs were selected by each leper
according to his seniority in having become an inmate; also, each
Leper shall receive on the Feast of S. Valentine, for the whole of the
ensuing year, one quarter of oats; also, about the feast of S. John
the Baptist, two bushels of salt, or the current price; also, on the
feast of S. Julian, and at the feast of S. Alban, one penny for