At other times, the municipalities, not only exercised control over institutions founded by private people, but also themselves contributed to the endowments. At Scarborough, Henry de Bulmer gave a site for St Thomas hospital which was finished and endowed by the burgesses[20]. At Chester the town gave land, on condition that certain almshouses were built[21]; and Ipswich in 1469 granted the profits of St James' fair to the lazars[22]. At Lydd, sums were given for "Goderynges dowghetyr, pour mayde, for hosyne, shoys and other thyngses" and payments were made for her clothes and keep on several occasions[23]. In this town also gifts of corn were regularly distributed at Easter and Christmas from 1439 onwards[24]. In most of the great towns the Chamberlain was the especial guardian of orphans[25], and sometimes there was a Court of Orphans in which matters affecting the property of orphans were managed. The arrangement rather concerned orphans with property, than the poor, but still it shows that the municipality recognised a responsibility with regard to a helpless class of the community. [20] Tanner's _Notitia_, Yorkshire, CVI. The burgesses of Scarborough are said to have founded and maintained another hospital, dedicated to St Nicholas, and in both poor men and women were maintained. [21] _Hist. Man. Com._, Rep. VIII. p. 371. 24 Hen. VII. [22] Nathaniell Bacon's _Annalls of Ipswiche_, p. 129. In Rye also payments were made to the poor from municipal funds as early as 1474. _Hist. Man. Com._ V. p. 494. [23] _Hist. Man. Com._ V. 527. In 1482-3, 3_s._ 4_d._ was paid to Thomas Maykyne "to kepe Goderyng's doughtyr," and in 1485 there is another entry of the same kind, "Paid for a kertylcloth for Herry Goderyng's doughtyr and for making thereof, 3_s._ 1_d._" [24] Payments in connection with this distribution of corn continue to be mentioned, down to the end of an account book containing municipal accounts from the beginning of the fifteenth century until the reign of Richard III. _Hist. Man. Com._ V. 519. [25] London had a regular Court of Orphans: see also _Southampton_, John S. Davies, p. 159, and _Exeter_, Freeman, p. 154. The municipal authorities at Southampton, however, undertook much more extensive measures for preventing want, and it is interesting to notice that this action was very probably undertaken in consequence of the customs of the ruling guild. In ordinances at least as early as the fourteenth century forfeits and alms were awarded to the poor, and members were to be assisted when in poverty. In the fifteenth century "the townys almys were settled on a plan," and lists were kept of the weekly payments. The Steward's book of 1441 states that the town gave weekly to the poor £4. 2_s._ 1_d._ which, according to the value of money at the time, might have furnished relief for about one hundred and fifty people[26]. [26] John S. Davies, _Southampton_, pp. 139, 294, and C. Gross, _The Gild Merchant_, vol. II. p. 231.