Lepers had been bribed to commit the detestable sin and
horrible crime of poisoning the wells, waters, etc., used by the
Christians. The real cause being a desire, through this flimsy excuse,
to rob the richer hospitals of their funds and possessions, this is
clearly manifest in the special wording of his own edict, "that all
the goods of the Lepers be lodged and held for himself." A similar
persecution was renewed about 60 years afterwards, in 1388, under
Charles VI. of France.

As soon as a man became a prey to the disease, his doom on earth was
finally and irrevocably sealed. The laws, both civil and
ecclesiastical, were awful in their severity to the poor Leper; not
only was he cut off from the society of his fellow-men, and all family
ties severed, but, he was dead to the law, he could not inherit
property, or be a witness to any deed. According to English law Lepers
were classed with idiots, madmen, outlaws, etc.

The Church provided a service to be said over the Leper on his
entering a Lazar House[j]. The Priest duly vested preceded by a cross,
went to the abode of the victim. He there began to exhort him to
suffer with a patient and penitent spirit the incurable plague with
which God had stricken him. Having sprinkled the unfortunate Leper
with Holy Water, he conducted him to the Church, the while reading
aloud the beginning of the Burial Service. On his arrival there, he
was stripped of his clothes and enveloped in a pall, and then placed
between two trestles--like a corpse--before the Altar, when the
_Libera_ was sung and the Mass for the Dead celebrated over him.

After the service he was again sprinkled with Holy Water, and led from
thence to the Lazar House, destined for his future, and final abode,
here on earth.

A pair of clappers, a stick, a barrel, and a distinctive dress were
given to him. The costume comprised a russet tunic[k], and upper tunic
with hood cut from it, so that the sleeves of the tunic were closed
as far as the hand, but not laced with knots or thread after the
secular fashion of the day. The upper tunic was to be closed down to
the ankles, and a close cape of black cloth of the same length as the
hood, for outside use.

A particular form of boot or shoe, laced high, was also enjoined, and
if these orders were disobeyed the culprit was condemned to walk
bare-footed, until the Master, considering his humility said to him
"enough." An oath of obedience and a promise to lead a moral