Burgesses of the Borough aforesaid, to have and receive all and singular the lands, tenements, profits, and revenues of the Hospital aforesaid, To the use and better support of the Poor of our Borough of Dunheved otherwise Launceston aforesaid, without any account to be rendered to us for the same."
It is a matter of history that on the 17th October, 1689, many of the charters of King James II. were, by Royal Proclamation, declared invalid. Some Corporations, however, ignored the proclamation, and silently used the special privileges of James's grants; and we find that on the 25th March, 1697 (9 Will. III.), Dunheved thus availed itself of its conditional right: The Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses made a lease to "Richard Man of the Burrough of Dunheved otherwise Launceston, Husbandman," of "All that the Hospitall of St Leonards, with all howses meadows lands pastures feedings and appurtences to the said Hospitall of right belonging (one annuity of £6 payable by the said Burrough to the said Hospitall excepted): To hold the said Hospitall, &c. (except as aforesaid), unto the said Richard Man for 7 years, He yielding therefor to the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses the yearly rent of £6." The tenant was to be allowed 40s. out of the first year's rent for putting the hedges, gates, ditches, and fences in repair. Then follows the proviso: "If it shall happen any Lazars shall be brought and do inhabit in the said Hospitall before the expiracon of the term aforesaid, That then and from thenceforth this prsent Indenture shall cease, determine, and be utterly void."
Happily the frightful pest of leprosy had, by this time, nearly disappeared from Europe, where it had raged for centuries with such virulence that almost every town had its lazar-house, wherein were isolated the wretched subjects of the disease. The last recorded case in Great Britain was, we believe, in the year 1809.
