EXHIBIT 4.16
                          SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 3

                                 by and between

                     HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST

                                       and

                       STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

                             as of February 23, 1998




             SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE INDENTURE DATED AS OF JULY 9, 1997




                      ------------------------------------





                     HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST
                    $100,000,000 6.70% Senior Notes due 2005

                                                      



         This SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE NO. 3 (this "Supplemental  Indenture") made
and  entered  into  as of  February  23,  1998  between  HEALTH  AND  RETIREMENT
PROPERTIES TRUST, a Maryland real estate  investment trust (the "Company"),  and
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts  trust company,  as Trustee
(the "Trustee").

                                WITNESSETH THAT:

         WHEREAS,  the Company and the Trustee have  executed  and  delivered an
Indenture dated as of July 9, 1997 (the "Indenture"),  relating to the Company's
issuance, from time to time, of various series of debt securities; and

         WHEREAS,  the Company has determined to issue debt securities  known as
its $100,000,000 6.70% Senior Notes due 2005; and

         WHEREAS,  the Indenture  provides that certain terms and conditions for
each series of debt securities issued by the Company thereunder may be set forth
in an indenture supplemental to the Indenture;

         NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

                                    ARTICLE 1

                                  DEFINED TERMS

         Section 1.1 The following  definitions  supplement,  and, to the extent
inconsistent with, replace the definitions in Section 101 of the Indenture:

         "Acquired  Debt"  means Debt of a Person (i)  existing at the time such
Person becomes a Subsidiary or (ii) assumed in connection  with the  acquisition
of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Debt incurred in connection
with,  or in  contemplation  of, such  Person's  becoming a  Subsidiary  or such
acquisition.  Acquired  Debt shall be deemed to be  incurred  on the date of the
related  acquisition  of assets from any Person or the date the acquired  Person
becomes a Subsidiary.

         "Annual Debt Service" as of any date means the maximum  amount which is
expensed  in any 12- month  period for  interest  on Debt of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.

         "Business  Day" means any day other than a Saturday  or Sunday or a day
on which  banking  institutions  in The City of New York or in the city in which
the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee is located, are required or authorized
to close.

         "Capital  Stock" means,  with respect to any Person,  any capital stock
(including preferred stock), shares, interests, participation or other ownership
interests  (however  designated)  of such Person and any rights (other than debt
securities  convertible  into or exchangeable  for capital  stock),  warrants or
options to purchase any thereof.

         "Consolidated  Income  Available for Debt Service" for any period means
Earnings from Operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries  plus amounts which
have been deducted,  and minus amounts which have been added,  for the following
(without duplication): (i) interest on Debt of the Company and its Subsidiaries,
(ii)  provision for taxes of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  based on income,
(iii)   amortization  of  debt  discount  and  deferred  financing  costs,  (iv)
provisions  for gains and losses on  properties  and property  depreciation  and
amortization,  (v) the effect of any noncash  charge  resulting from a change in
accounting  principles in determining  Earnings from  Operations for such period
and (vi) amortization of deferred charges.




         "Debt" of the Company or any Subsidiary means, without duplication, any
indebtedness  of the Company or any Subsidiary,  whether or not  contingent,  in
respect of (i)  borrowed  money or  evidenced  by bonds,  notes,  debentures  or
similar  instruments,  (ii)  indebtedness  for  borrowed  money  secured  by any
Encumbrance  existing on property owned by the Company or any Subsidiary,  (iii)
the reimbursement  obligations,  contingent or otherwise, in connection with any
letters of credit  actually  issued  (other  than  letters  of credit  issued to
provide credit  enhancement or support with respect to other indebtedness of the
Company or any  Subsidiary  otherwise  reflected as Debt  hereunder)  or amounts
representing  the  balance  deferred  and  unpaid of the  purchase  price of any
property  or  services,  except any such  balance  that  constitutes  an accrued
expense or trade payable,  or all  conditional  sale  obligations or obligations
under  any  title  retention  agreement,   (iv)  the  principal  amount  of  all
obligations  of the  Company  or any  Subsidiary  with  respect  to  redemption,
repayment or other  repurchase of any  Disqualified  Stock,  or (v) any lease of
property by the Company or any  Subsidiary  as lessee  which is reflected on the
Company's  consolidated  balance sheet as a capitalized lease in accordance with
GAAP,  to the  extent,  in the case of items of  indebtedness  under (i) through
(iii) above,  that any such items (other than letters of credit) would appear as
a liability on the Company's consolidated balance sheet in accordance with GAAP,
and also includes,  to the extent not otherwise included,  any obligation by the
Company or any Subsidiary to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor,  guarantor or
otherwise  (other than for  purposes of  collection  in the  ordinary  course of
business), Debt of another Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary) (it
being  understood that Debt shall be deemed to be incurred by the Company or any
Subsidiary  whenever  the  Company  or such  Subsidiary  shall  create,  assume,
guarantee or otherwise become liable in respect thereof).

         "Disqualified  Stock"  means,  with respect to any Person,  any Capital
Stock of such Person which by the terms of such  Capital  Stock (or by the terms
of any security into which it is convertible or for which it is  exchangeable or
exercisable),  upon the  happening of any event or  otherwise  (i) matures or is
mandatorily  redeemable,  pursuant to a sinking  fund  obligation  or  otherwise
(other than  Capital  Stock which is  redeemable  solely in exchange  for common
stock or shares),  (ii) is convertible  into or  exchangeable or exercisable for
Debt or  Disqualified  Stock, or (iii) is redeemable at the option of the holder
thereof,  in whole or in part (other  than  Capital  Stock  which is  redeemable
solely in exchange for common stock or shares),  in each case on or prior to the
Stated Maturity of the Notes.

         "Earnings from Operations" for any period means net earnings  excluding
gains  and  losses on sales of  investments,  extraordinary  items and  property
valuation  losses,  as reflected in the financial  statements of the Company and
its  Subsidiaries  for  such  period,  determined  on a  consolidated  basis  in
accordance with GAAP.

         "Encumbrance"  means any  mortgage,  lien,  charge,  pledge or security
interest of any kind.

         "Interest  Payment  Date"  means any date on which  interest is due and
payable on the Notes in accordance with the terms thereof.

         "Issuance  Date"  means  the  closing  date for the  sale and  original
issuance of the Notes.

         "Make-Whole  Amount" means, in connection with any optional  redemption
or  accelerated  payment of any Note,  the excess,  if any, of (i) the aggregate
present value as of the date of such  redemption or accelerated  payment of each
dollar of principal being redeemed or paid and the amount of interest (exclusive
of interest accrued to the date of redemption or accelerated payment) that would
have been payable in respect of such dollar if such  redemption  or  accelerated
payment had not been made,  determined by  discounting,  on a semiannual  basis,
such principal and interest at the  Reinvestment  Rate  (determined on the third
Business  Day  preceding  the  date  such  notice  of  redemption  is  given  or
declaration of  acceleration  is made) from the  respective  dates on which such
principal and interest would have been payable if such redemption or accelerated
payment had not been made, over (ii) the aggregate principal amount of the Notes
being redeemed

                                       -2-


or paid. For purposes of this Supplemental  Indenture and the Notes,  references
in the  Indenture  to the payment of the  principal  (and  premium,  if any) and
interest on the Notes  shall be deemed to include the payment of the  Make-Whole
Amount, if any, due upon redemption with respect to the Notes.

         "Notes" means the Company's  $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
6.70%  Senior  Notes,  due 2005,  issued  under  this  Indenture,  as amended or
supplemented from time to time.

         "Record  Date"  means the  fifteenth  calendar  day,  whether  or not a
Business Day, next preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date.

         "Reinvestment  Rate"  means a rate per annum  equal to the sum of 0.25%
(twenty-five  one  hundredths  of  one  percent)  plus  the  yield  on  treasury
securities at constant maturity under the heading "Week Ending" published in the
Statistical  Release under the caption  "Treasury  Constant  Maturities" for the
maturity  (rounded to the nearest month)  corresponding to the remaining life to
maturity,  as of the payment date of the principal being redeemed or paid. If no
maturity  exactly  corresponds  to such  maturity,  yields for the two published
maturities  most closely  corresponding  to such  maturity  shall be  calculated
pursuant to the immediately  preceding  sentence and the Reinvestment Rate shall
be  interpolated  or  extrapolated  from such yields on a  straight-line  basis,
rounding in each of such relevant  periods to the nearest month. For purposes of
calculating the Reinvestment Rate, the most recent Statistical Release published
prior to the date of determination of the Make-Whole Amount shall be used.

         "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

         "Secured Debt" means Debt secured by any mortgage, lien, charge, pledge
or security interest of any kind.

         "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         "Statistical  Release"  means the  statistical  release  designated "H.
15(519)" or any successor  publication  which is published weekly by the Federal
Reserve  System and which  establishes  yields on actively  traded United States
government  securities  adjusted to constant  maturities or, if such statistical
release  is  not  published  at  the  time  of  any  determination   under  this
Supplemental  Indenture,  then any publicly  available  source of similar market
data which shall be designated by the Company.

         "Subsidiary"  means any corporation or other entity of which a majority
of (i) the voting power of the voting equity  securities or (ii) the outstanding
equity interests of which are owned,  directly or indirectly,  by the Company or
one or  more  other  Subsidiaries  of the  Company.  For  the  purposes  of this
definition,  "voting equity  securities"  means equity  securities having voting
power for the election of directors,  whether at all times or only so long as no
senior class of security has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

         "Total  Assets" as of any date  means the sum of (i) the  Undepreciated
Real Estate Assets and (ii) all other assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries
determined  in  accordance  with GAAP (but  excluding  accounts  receivable  and
intangibles).

         "Total  Unencumbered  Assets" means the sum of (i) those  Undepreciated
Real Estate Assets not subject to an Encumbrance for borrowed money and (ii) all
other assets of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  not subject to an Encumbrance
for borrowed money  determined in accordance  with GAAP (but excluding  accounts
receivable and intangibles).

                                       -3-


         "Undepreciated  Real  Estate  Assets"  as of any  date  means  the cost
(original cost plus capital  improvements)  of real estate assets of the Company
and  its  Subsidiaries  on  such  date,  before  depreciation  and  amortization
determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

         "Unsecured  Debt"  means  Debt  which  is  not  secured  by  any of the
properties of the Company or any Subsidiary.


                                    ARTICLE 2

                               TERMS OF THE NOTES

         Section 2.1 Pursuant to Section 301 of the  Indenture,  the Notes shall
have the following terms and conditions:

         (a) Title; Limitation on Aggregate Principal Amount; Form of Notes. The
Notes shall be known as the Company's  $100,000,000 6.70% Senior Notes due 2005.
The Notes will be limited to an aggregate principal amount of $100,000,000.  The
Notes  (together  with the Trustee's  certificate  of  authentication)  shall be
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto,  which is hereby  incorporated in
and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture.

         The Notes will be issued in the form of single fully registered  global
security without coupons (the "Global Note") which will be deposited with, or on
behalf of, The Depository Trust Company  ("DTC"),  and registered in the name of
DTC's nominee,  Cede & Co. Except under the  circumstance  described  below, the
Notes  will  not be  issuable  in a  definitive  form.  Unless  and  until it is
exchanged in whole or in part for the individual notes represented  thereby, the
Global Note may not be transferred  except as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC
or by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or by DTC or any nominee
of DTC to a successor depository or any nominee of such successor.

         So long as DTC or its  nominee is the  registered  owner of such Global
Note, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner
or holder of the Notes  represented  by such Global Note for all purposes  under
this  Supplemental  Indenture.  Except as described below,  owners of beneficial
interest in Notes  evidenced by the Global Note will not be entitled to have any
of the  individual  Notes  represented  by such Global Note  registered in their
names,  will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of any such
Notes in  definitive  form and will not be  considered  the  owners  or  holders
thereof under the Indenture or this Supplemental Indenture.

         If DTC is at any time  unwilling,  unable or  ineligible to continue as
depository and a successor  depository is not appointed by the Company within 90
days,  the Company will issue  individual  Notes in exchange for the Global Note
representing  such Notes.  In  addition,  the Company may at any time and in its
sole  discretion,  subject to certain  limitations  set forth in the  Indenture,
determine not to have any of such Notes  represented by one or more Global Notes
and in such event will issue individual Notes in exchange for the Global Note or
Notes  representing  such debt  Securities.  Individual  Notes so issued will be
issued in  denominations  of $1,000 and integral  multiples  thereof and will be
issued in registered form only, without coupons.

         (b) Principal Repayment;  Currency. The Stated Maturity of the Notes is
February 23, 2005,  provided,  however, the Notes may be earlier redeemed at the
option of the Company as provided in paragraph (c) below.  The principal of each
Note  payable  on its  maturity  date  shall be paid  against  presentation  and
surrender  thereof  at  the  Corporate  Trust  Office  of the  Trustee,  located
initially at Two International Place, Boston,  Massachusetts 02110, in such coin
or currency of the United States of America as at the time of

                                       -4-



payment is legal tender for the payment of public or private debts.  The Company
will not pay Additional Amounts (as defined in the Indenture) on the Notes.

         (c)  Redemption at the Option of the Company;  Acceleration.  The Notes
will be subject to redemption at any time at the option of the Company, in whole
or in part,  upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days'  notice to each Holder
of Notes to be redeemed at its address appearing in the Security Register,  at a
price equal to the sum of (i) the principal  amount of the Notes being redeemed,
plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the applicable redemption date
and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount. Upon the acceleration of the Notes in accordance
with  Section 502 of the  Indenture,  the  principal  amount of the Notes,  plus
accrued and unpaid interest  thereon and the Make-Whole  Amount shall become due
and payable immediately.

         (d) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or  transmitted by
any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Company shall be directed
to it at 400 Centre Street,  Newton,  Massachusetts 02158,  Attention:  David J.
Hegarty,  President;  notices  to the  Trustee  shall be  directed  to it at Two
International Place, Boston,  Massachusetts  02110,  Attention:  Corporate Trust
Department,  Re: Health and Retirement  Properties  Trust 6.70% Senior Notes due
2005.

         (e) Global Note Legend. The Global Note shall bear the following legend
on the face thereof:

         UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN  AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE  OF THE
         DEPOSITORY  TRUST  COMPANY,  A NEW  YORK  CORPORATION  ("DTC"),  TO THE
         COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT,
         AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS  REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH
         OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED  REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND
         ANY  PAYMENT  IS MADE  TO CEDE & CO.  OR TO  SUCH  OTHER  ENTITY  AS IS
         REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE
         OR OTHER USE  HEREOF  FOR  VALUE OR  OTHERWISE  BY OR TO ANY  PERSON IS
         WRONGFUL  INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED  OWNER HEREOF,  CEDE & CO., HAS AN
         INTEREST HEREIN.

                                    ARTICLE 3

                              ADDITIONAL COVENANTS

         Section 3.1 In addition  to the  covenants  of the Company set forth in
Article Ten of the Indenture, for the benefit of the holders of the Notes:

         (a)      Limitations on Incurrence of Debt.

                  (i) The Company will not,  and will not permit any  Subsidiary
         to,  incur  any  Debt  if,  immediately  after  giving  effect  to  the
         incurrence of such  additional Debt and the application of the proceeds
         thereof,  the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Debt of the
         Company and its  Subsidiaries  on a  consolidated  basis  determined in
         accordance  with GAAP is greater than 60% of the sum  ("Adjusted  Total
         Assets") of (without  duplication)  (i) the Total Assets of the Company
         and its  Subsidiaries as of the end of the calendar  quarter covered in
         the Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K, or the Quarterly  Report on
         Form 10-Q, as the case may be, most recently  filed with the Securities
         and Exchange  Commission (or, if such filing is not permitted under the
         Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), with
         the Trustee) prior to the incurrence of such  additional  Debt and (ii)
         the purchase price of any real estate assets or mortgages receivable

                                       -5-



         acquired,  and the amount of any securities  offering proceeds received
         (to the extent that such  proceeds were not used to acquire real estate
         assets or mortgages  receivable or used to reduce Debt), by the Company
         or any  Subsidiary  since the end of such calendar  quarter,  including
         those  proceeds  obtained in  connection  with the  incurrence  of such
         additional Debt.

                  (ii)  In  addition  to  the  foregoing   limitations   on  the
         incurrence  of Debt,  the  Company  will not,  and will not  permit any
         Subsidiary  to,  incur any Secured  Debt if,  immediately  after giving
         effect  to the  incurrence  of such  additional  Secured  Debt  and the
         application of the proceeds thereof,  the aggregate principal amount of
         all outstanding  Secured Debt of the Company and its  Subsidiaries on a
         consolidated basis is greater than 40% of Adjusted Total Assets.

                  (iii)  In  addition  to  the  foregoing   limitations  on  the
         Incurrence  of Debt,  the  Company  will not,  and will not  permit any
         Subsidiary  to,  incur  any Debt if the  ratio of  Consolidated  Income
         Available  for Debt  Service to the Annual  Debt  Service  for the four
         consecutive  fiscal  quarters most recently  ended prior to the date on
         which such  additional Debt is to be incurred shall have been less than
         1.5x,  on a pro forma  basis  after  giving  effect  thereto and to the
         application of the proceeds therefrom, and calculated on the assumption
         that (i) such Debt and any other Debt  incurred  by the Company and its
         Subsidiaries  since the first day of such  four-quarter  period and the
         application  of the proceeds  therefrom,  including to refinance  other
         Debt, had occurred at the beginning of such period;  (ii) the repayment
         or  retirement  of any other Debt by the Company  and its  Subsidiaries
         since the first date of such  four-quarter  period  had been  repaid or
         retired at the  beginning of such period  (except  that, in making such
         computation,  the amount of Debt under any  revolving  credit  facility
         shall be  computed  based upon the average  daily  balance of such Debt
         during  such  period);  (iii)  in the  case  of  Acquired  Debt or Debt
         incurred in connection with any acquisition since the first day of such
         four-quarter  period,  the related  acquisition  had occurred as of the
         first day of such period with  appropriate  adjustments with respect to
         such acquisition being included in such pro forma calculation; and (iv)
         in the case of any  acquisition  or  disposition  by the Company or its
         Subsidiaries  of any  asset or group of  assets  since the first day of
         such four-quarter period, whether by merger, stock purchase or sale, or
         asset purchase or sale, such  acquisition or disposition or any related
         repayment  of Debt had occurred as of the first day of such period with
         the  appropriate  adjustments  with  respect  to  such  acquisition  or
         disposition being included in such pro forma calculation.

         (b)  Maintenance  of Total  Unencumbered  Assets.  The  Company and its
Subsidiaries  will maintain Total  Unencumbered  Assets of not less than 200% of
the aggregate  outstanding principal amount of the Unsecured Debt of the Company
and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

         (c)  Applicability  of Discharge,  Defeasance  and Covenant  Defeasance
Provisions.  The  Discharge,  Defeasance and Covenant  Defeasance  provisions in
Article Fourteen of the Indenture will apply to the Notes.

                                    ARTICLE 4

                          ADDITIONAL EVENTS OF DEFAULT

         For purposes of this Supplemental  Indenture and the Notes, in addition
to the Events of Default  set forth in Section  501 of the  Indenture,  it shall
also  constitute  an "Event of Default"  if an event of default  under any bond,
debenture,  note or other evidence of indebtedness of the Company  (including an
event of default with respect to any other series of  securities),  or under any
mortgage,  indenture or other instrument of the Company under which there may be
issued or by which there may be secured or  evidenced  any  indebtedness  of the
Company (or by any Subsidiary, the repayment of which the Company has guaranteed
or for which the  Company  is  directly  responsible  or  liable as  obligor  or
guarantor), whether such indebtedness now exists

                                       -6-



or shall  hereafter  be created,  shall  happen and shall result in an aggregate
principal  amount  exceeding  $20,000,000  becoming  or being  declared  due and
payable  prior  to the date on which it  would  otherwise  have  become  due and
payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged,  or such acceleration
having been rescinded or annulled, within a period of ten days after there shall
have been given,  by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee
or to the Company  and the  Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in  principal
amount of the  outstanding  Notes, a written notice  specifying such default and
requiring the Company to cause such  indebtedness to be discharged or cause such
acceleration  to be  rescinded  or annulled  and  stating  that such notice is a
"Notice of Default" hereunder.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                                  EFFECTIVENESS

         This  Supplemental  Indenture shall be effective for all purposes as of
the date and time this Supplemental Indenture has been executed and delivered by
the Company and the Trustee in accordance with Article Nine of the Indenture. As
supplemented  hereby,  the Indenture is hereby  confirmed as being in full force
and effect.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         Section 6.1 In the event any provision of this  Supplemental  Indenture
shall be held invalid or unenforceable  by any court of competent  jurisdiction,
such holding shall not invalidate or render  unenforceable  any other  provision
hereof or any provision of the Indenture.

         Section 6.2 To the extent that any terms of the Notes are  inconsistent
with the  terms of the  Indenture,  the  terms of the  Notes  shall  govern  and
supersede such inconsistent terms.

         Section  6.3  This  Supplemental  Indenture  shall be  governed  by and
construed in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

         Section  6.4 This  Supplemental  Indenture  may be  executed in several
counterparts,  each  of  which  shall  be an  original  and all of  which  shall
constitute but one and the same instrument.

                                       -7-



         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Company  and the  Trustee  have  caused this
Supplemental  Indenture  to be  executed  as an  instrument  under seal in their
respective corporate names as of the date first above written.

                                   HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST



                                   By:  /s/ Ajay Saini
                                        Ajay Saini
                                        Treasurer


                                   STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
                                   as Trustee


                                   By: /s/ Robert L. Bice II
                                       Name: Robert L. Bice II
                                       Title: Vice President

                                       -8-



                                    EXHIBIT A
                                 (Face of Note)

                           6.70% Senior Notes due 2005
No.                                                                $__________

                     HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST

promises  to  pay  to   _______________________________________   or  registered
assigns, the principal sum of  _____________________________________  Dollars on
February 23, 2005.

                  Interest Payment Dates: February 23 and August 23.
                  Record Dates:  February 8 and August 8.

CUSIP No.:        422169AM4

                                      HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST



                                      By:____________________________________
                                            Name:
                                            Title:
[SEAL]

Dated:

This is one of the Notes referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture:

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY, as Trustee


By:
         Authorized Signatory

                                      A - 1



                                 (Back of Note)

                     HEALTH AND RETIREMENT PROPERTIES TRUST

                           6.70% Senior Notes due 2005

         Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the
Indenture (as defined below) unless otherwise indicated.

         1. Interest.  Health and Retirement  Properties  Trust, a Maryland real
estate  investment  trust  (the  "Company"),  promises  to pay  interest  on the
principal amount of this Note at the rate and in the manner specified below.

         The Company shall pay in cash interest on the principal  amount of this
Note at the rate per annum of 6.70%. The Company will pay interest semi-annually
in arrears on February 23 and August 23 of each year,  commencing  on August 23,
1998 or if any such day is not a Business Day (as defined in the Indenture),  on
the next succeeding  Business Day (each an "Interest  Payment Date"), to Holders
of record on the immediately preceding February 8 and August 8.

         Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year  consisting of
twelve 30-day  months.  Interest shall accrue from the most recent date to which
interest  has been paid or, if no interest  has been paid,  from the date of the
original issuance of the Notes.

         2.  Method of  Payment.  The  Company  will pay  interest  on the Notes
(except defaulted  interest) to the Persons who are registered  Holders of Notes
at the close of business on the record date next preceding the Interest  Payment
Date,  even if such Notes are  canceled  after such record date and on or before
such Interest Payment Date. The Company will pay principal and interest in money
of the United  States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of
public and private debts. The Company,  however, may pay principal,  premium, if
any, and interest by check payable in such money.  It may mail an interest check
to a Holder's registered address.

         3. Indenture.  The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as
of July 9,  1997,  as  supplemented  by a  Supplemental  Indenture  dated  as of
February 23, 1998 (the  "Indenture")  between the Company and the  Trustee.  The
terms of the Notes  include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of
the  Indenture  by reference to the Trust  Indenture  Act of 1939 (15 U.S.  Code
ss.ss.  77aaa-77bbbb)  as in effect on the date of the Indenture.  The Notes are
subject  to all such  terms,  and  Holders  of the  Notes  are  referred  to the
Indenture and such act for a statement of such terms. The terms of the Indenture
shall govern any inconsistencies  between the Indenture and the Notes. The Notes
are unsecured  general  obligations of the Company  limited to  $100,000,000  in
aggregate principal amount.

         4. Optional Redemption.  The Notes will be subject to redemption at any
time at the option of the  Company,  in whole or in part,  upon not less than 30
nor more than 60 days' notice, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i) the
principal  amount of the Notes being redeemed,  plus accrued and unpaid interest
to but excluding the applicable redemption date and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount.

         As used herein the term  "Make-Whole  Amount" means, in connection with
any optional  redemption or accelerated payment of any Note, the excess, if any,
of (i)  the  aggregate  present  value  as of the  date of  such  redemption  or
accelerated  payment of each dollar of principal  being redeemed or paid and the
amount of interest  (exclusive of interest  accrued to the date of redemption or
accelerated  payment)  that would have been payable in respect of such dollar if
such  redemption  or  accelerated  payment  had not  been  made,  determined  by
discounting,  on  a  semiannual  basis,  such  principal  and  interest  at  the
Reinvestment Rate (as defined

                                      A - 2


herein)  (determined on the third Business Day preceding the date such notice of
redemption is given or declaration of  acceleration is made) from the respective
dates on which such  principal  and  interest  would  have been  payable if such
redemption  or  accelerated  payment had not been made,  over (ii) the aggregate
principal amount of the Notes being redeemed or paid.

         As used  herein  the term  "Reinvestment  Rate"  means a rate per annum
equal to the sum of 0.25%  (twenty-five  one hundredths of one percent) plus the
yield on treasury  securities  at  constant  maturity  under the  heading  "Week
Ending"  published  in the  Statistical  Release (as defined  herein)  under the
caption "Treasury Constant  Maturities" for the maturity (rounded to the nearest
month)  corresponding to the remaining life to maturity,  as of the payment date
of the principal being redeemed or paid. If no maturity  exactly  corresponds to
such   maturity,   yields  for  the  two  published   maturities   most  closely
corresponding  to such maturity shall be calculated  pursuant to the immediately
preceding   sentence  and  the  Reinvestment   Rate  shall  be  interpolated  or
extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding in each of such
relevant  periods  to  the  nearest  month.  For  purposes  of  calculating  the
Reinvestment  Rate, the most recent  Statistical  Release published prior to the
date of determination of the Make-Whole Amount shall be used.

         As used herein the term  "Statistical  Release"  means the  statistical
release designated "H. 15(519)" or any successor  publication which is published
weekly by the Federal  Reserve System and which  establishes  yields on actively
traded United States government  securities  adjusted to constant maturities or,
if such  statistical  release is not published at the time of any  determination
under the Supplemental  Indenture,  then such other reasonably  comparable index
which shall be designated by the Company.

         5.  Mandatory  Redemption.  The  Company  shall not be required to make
sinking fund or redemption payments with respect to the Notes.

         6. Notice of Redemption.  Notice of redemption shall be mailed at least
30 days but not more than 60 days before the  redemption  date to each Holder of
Notes to be redeemed at its  registered  address.  Notes may be redeemed in part
but only in whole multiples of $1,000,  unless all of the Notes held by a Holder
are to be redeemed.  On and after the redemption date, interest ceases to accrue
on Notes or portions of them called for redemption.

         7. Denominations,  Transfer, Exchange. The Notes are in registered form
without coupons in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples  thereof.  The
transfer of Notes may be  registered  and Notes may be  exchanged as provided in
the Indenture.  The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder,  among other
things, to furnish  appropriate  endorsements and transfer  documents and to pay
any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.  The Registrar
need not  exchange  or  register  the  transfer of any Note or portion of a Note
selected for redemption.  Also, it need not exchange or register the transfer of
any Notes for a period of 15 days before the  mailing of a notice of  redemption
of Notes,  or during  the  period  between a record  date and the  corresponding
Interest Payment Date.

         8.  Defaults and  Remedies.  In case an Event of Default (as defined in
the Indenture)  with respect to the Notes shall have occurred and be continuing,
the principal hereof may be declared,  and upon such  declaration  shall become,
due and payable,  in the manner,  with the effect and subject to the  provisions
provided in the Indenture.

         9. Actions of Holders. The Indenture contains provisions permitting the
holders of not less than a majority  of the  aggregate  principal  amount of the
outstanding  Notes, on behalf of the holders of all such Notes at a meeting duly
called and held as provided in the Indenture, to make, give or take any request,
demand,  authorization,  direction,  notice,  consent,  waiver  or other  action
provided  in the  Indenture  to be made,  given or taken by the  holders  of the
Notes, including without limitation,  waiving (a) compliance by the Company with
certain  provisions of the  Indenture,  and (b) certain past defaults  under the
Indenture and their

                                      A - 3


consequences.  Any  resolution  passed or  decision  taken at any meeting of the
holders of the Notes in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture shall be
conclusive  and binding  upon such  holders and upon all future  holders of this
Note and other Notes  issued  upon the  registration  of  transfer  hereof or in
exchange heretofore or in lieu hereof

         10. Persons Deemed Owners. The Company,  the Trustee,  and any agent of
the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the Person in whose name this Note
is registered on the Security Register as its absolute owner for all purposes.

         11. Authentication. This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by
the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

         12.   Governing   Law.  THE  INTERNAL  LAW  OF  THE   COMMONWEALTH   OF
MASSACHUSETTS SHALL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE AND THE NOTES.

         13. No Personal  Liability.  THE AMENDED AND  RESTATED  DECLARATION  OF
TRUST OF THE  COMPANY,  DATED JULY 1, 1994, A COPY OF WHICH,  TOGETHER  WITH ALL
AMENDMENTS  THERETO  (THE  "DECLARATION"),  IS DULY  FILED IN THE  OFFICE OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS  AND TAXATION OF THE STATE OF MARYLAND,  PROVIDES THAT
THE NAME "HEALTH AND RETIREMENT  PROPERTIES  TRUST" REFERS TO THE TRUSTEES UNDER
THE DECLARATION  COLLECTIVELY AS TRUSTEES,  BUT NOT  INDIVIDUALLY OR PERSONALLY,
AND THAT NO  TRUSTEE,  OFFICER,  SHAREHOLDER,  EMPLOYEE  OR AGENT OF THE COMPANY
SHALL  BE  HELD  TO ANY  PERSONAL  LIABILITY,  JOINTLY  OR  SEVERALLY,  FOR  ANY
OBLIGATION  OF, OR CLAIM  AGAINST,  THE  COMPANY.  ALL PERSONS  DEALING WITH THE
COMPANY,  IN ANY WAY,  SHALL  LOOK  ONLY TO THE  ASSETS OF THE  COMPANY  FOR THE
PAYMENT OF ANY SUM OR THE PERFORMANCE OF ANY OBLIGATION.

         The Company will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without
charge a copy of the Indenture. Request may be made to:

                           Health and Retirement Properties Trust
                           400 Centre Street
                           Newton, MA 02158
                           Telecopier No.:  (617) 332-2261
                           Attention: President

                                      A - 4




                                 ASSIGNMENT FORM


         To assign  this Note,  fill in the form  below:  (I) or (we) assign and
transfer this Note to


                  (Insert assignee's soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)




              (Print or type assignee's name, address and zip code)

and irrevocably appoint
to  transfer  this Note on the books of the  Company.  The agent may  substitute
another to act for him.



Date:

                                           Your Signature:
                                          (Sign exactly as your name appears on
                                          the face of this Note)

Signature Guarantee: