The dispensary is held in Castle-street, under the care of a surgeon. Annual subscribers of one guinea have, according to the original resolution, the right of recommending two patients within the year; but this is not in all cases strictly adhered to. ST. GILES’S HOSPITAL, it is considered, was originally established for the reception of persons afflicted with leprosy—a disease much more common among the ancients and in warmer climates than in Europe, into which it is said to have been introduced by the Crusaders in the time of Henry the First. King Henry the Second, if not the founder of this hospital, granted to it 30s. yearly (equal to £80 of modern currency) of the rent which he received from the sheriff of Shropshire for the county, towards the support of the infirm or diseased occupants, as well as a small toll upon all corn and flour exposed to sale in Shrewsbury, either on market days or otherwise. The original grant of money is still paid by the sheriff to the Earl of Tankerville, who, as “Master of the Hospital,” and holding certain lands for its maintenance, nominates four hospitallers, who have each a comfortable house and garden, adjoining St. Giles’s church-yard, with one shilling and sixpence weekly, a small allowance for coal, and clothing annually. ST JOHN’S HOSPITAL, although an asylum “for honest poverty and old age,” did not escape the rapacity which characterised the dissolution of religious houses. It stood in the suburb of Frankwell, near a place since called The Stew. Speed notices its site in his map (1610); but not a fragment of the building now remains. THE DRAPERS’ ALMSHOUSES. [Picture: Drapers’ Almshouses] The generally received opinion has been that these almshouses were founded, in 1461, by Degory Watur, Draper, from the circumstance that he lived himself in the centre house, or “almshouse hall,” among the poor people, and whose practice (as a Manuscript Chronicle records) was to attend them “dailye to our Lady’s Chirch, and to kneel with them in a long pew in the quire made for them and himself.” The ancient records, however, of the Drapers’ Company show that a building and endowment of almshouses by that company for poor people existed long previous to the foundation attributed to Degory Watur, who seems to have been only the founder in so far as their re-erection took place, under his management, during his wardenship or stewardship of the company, of which he was a member.