The Hospital and Society in England and Wales
The Hospital and Society in England and Wales
This chapter discusses the significance of crusading in later medieval and 16th century English and Welsh society, concluding that there was still enthusiasm for holy war, but little opportunity to pursue it. The Hospital provided an outlet for such enthusiasm through its confraternity, which was proclaimed with reference to the defence of the faith, but it is not clear from the sources that all commentators identified the order with crusading. The order's further significance as a provider of the sacraments outside the parish network, its consequent disputes with the secular clergy, and the particular features of its liturgical and devotional practises are also examined. The order's social position as a landowner and employer is explored, with particular reference to its reliance on the relatives of brethren, members of the gentry, and a small body of expert servants to run its estates, so that its members became somewhat divorced from direct contact with society at large.
Keywords: Hospital, crusades, crusading, confraternity, clergy, landowner, employer
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