The sick had fire and candle, and all necessaries, until they either convalesced or died; and one of the chaplains was assigned to hear the confessions of the sick, to read the gospel to them on Sundays and holidays, and to read the burial-service for the dead. The old woman who attended on the sick had every week three wheaten loaves, and one mess of flesh or fish; and when a brother or sister was buried, the grave-digger had his meat and drink. Each leper had a yearly allowance for his clothing of three yards of woollen cloth, white or russet, six yards of linen, and six of canvass, and the tailor had his meat and drink the day on which he came to cut out their clothes. Four fires were allowed for the whole community. From Michaelmas to All Saints they had two baskets of peat on double mess days, and four baskets daily from All Saints to Easter. On Christmas eve they had four yule logs, each a cart-load (“unusquisque erit unius quadrigatae”), with four trusses of straw; four trusses of straw on All Saints eve and Easter eve; and four bundles of rushes on the eves of Pentecost, St. John Baptist, and St. Mary Magdalene; and on the anniversary of Martin de Sancta Cruce, every leper received five shillings and fivepence in money. The good food, lodging, and raiment provided by the rich endowments of Sherburne were not without some alloy. The rules of the house were strict, and the religious duties enforced upon the inmates were of an austere character. “All the leprous brethren, whose health permitted, were every day expected to attend matins, nones, vespers, and complines. The bed-rid sick were enjoined to raise themselves, and say matins in their bed; and for those who were still weaker, let them rest in peace, _et quod dicere possint dicant_.” During Lent and Advent all the brethren were required to receive corporal discipline three days in the week, and the sisters, in like manner, _donec omnes vapulent_. And all these, and other laws, Bishop Kellaw “did by his charter confirm and order ever thereafter ‘_inviolabiter observari_.’”[99]