Alice Perrers
Encyclopedia
Alice Perrers was a royal mistress
whose lover and patron was King Edward III of England
. She acquired significant land holdings. She served as a lady-in-waiting
to Edward's consort, Philippa of Hainault
.
to Philippa
, King Edward’s consort. She became Edward's mistress in 1363, when she was 15 years of age; this was six years before the queen's death. However, the scandal was not made public until after Philippa's death, after which the King lavished gifts on Perrers. She was given property and even a selection of the late queen’s jewels. Dressed in golden garments, Perrers was paraded as “The Lady of the Sun” by the king's command.
On an unknown date, she married Sir William Windsor, a Westmorland knight. He was a royal lieutenant in Ireland
, which meant he would have been absent from England for long periods of time. According to Charles Cawley, Perrers had three illegitimate children by King Edward: a son named Sir John de Southeray (c. 1364-1383), who married Maud Percy, daughter of Henry Percy, 3rd Baron Percy and his first wife Mary of Lancaster
; and two daughters, Jane, who married Richard Northland, and Joan, who married Robert Skerne.
) in Essex
(in which shire
her father Richard de Perrers was the sheriff
for many years); in 1367, she held in custody the lands of Robert de Tiloil; and on 30 June 1368, Perrers and heirs were granted a plot of land called ‘Manylawes.'
’s Lady Mede in Piers Plowman
. In that work, the Lady represents, to the dreaming narrator, a woman of high status, one adorned with jewels and fine robes, but also a distraction and diversion from decent morals.
of St. Albans engaged in a dispute over land. Prior to King Edward's death, few had prosecuted or challenged her, but that changed in 1376, when she was tried for corruption and subsequently banished from the kingdom by the Good Parliament
, her lands forfeit. She was later able to return to England and work to regain some of her lands.
's novel, Katherine. Alice Perrers is the main character in Vanora Bennett's novel The People's Queen that was first published in 2010.
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
whose lover and patron was King Edward III of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. She acquired significant land holdings. She served as a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Edward's consort, Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
.
Life and Family
Perrers was born in 1348. Perrers served as a lady-in-waitingLady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Philippa
Philippa of Hainault
Philippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
, King Edward’s consort. She became Edward's mistress in 1363, when she was 15 years of age; this was six years before the queen's death. However, the scandal was not made public until after Philippa's death, after which the King lavished gifts on Perrers. She was given property and even a selection of the late queen’s jewels. Dressed in golden garments, Perrers was paraded as “The Lady of the Sun” by the king's command.
On an unknown date, she married Sir William Windsor, a Westmorland knight. He was a royal lieutenant in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, which meant he would have been absent from England for long periods of time. According to Charles Cawley, Perrers had three illegitimate children by King Edward: a son named Sir John de Southeray (c. 1364-1383), who married Maud Percy, daughter of Henry Percy, 3rd Baron Percy and his first wife Mary of Lancaster
Mary of Lancaster
Mary of Lancaster, Baroness Percy , was the youngest surviving child of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster by his wife Maud Chaworth. Through her father, she was a great-granddaughter of Henry III of England.-Family:...
; and two daughters, Jane, who married Richard Northland, and Joan, who married Robert Skerne.
Lands
Though Perrers was given many gifts and land grants, her financial success was largely earned. Some contemporaries claimed that she had seduced a senile King to gain property and goods, but most of her acquisitions were owed to her intelligence, business acumen, and use of contacts, and she became a wealthy landowner. At one point, Perrers controlled over fifty-six manors surrounding London, only fifteen of which were gifts. Among other properties, Perrers possessed the manor of Gains (probably at UpminsterUpminster
Upminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
) in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
(in which shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
her father Richard de Perrers was the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
for many years); in 1367, she held in custody the lands of Robert de Tiloil; and on 30 June 1368, Perrers and heirs were granted a plot of land called ‘Manylawes.'
Influence in Literature
Perrers is thought to have served as the living prototype of Chaucer's oft-married Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales. Her influence on literature may also have extended to William LanglandWilliam Langland
William Langland is the conjectured author of the 14th-century English dream-vision Piers Plowman.- Life :The attribution of Piers to Langland rests principally on the evidence of a manuscript held at Trinity College, Dublin...
’s Lady Mede in Piers Plowman
Piers Plowman
Piers Plowman or Visio Willelmi de Petro Plowman is the title of a Middle English allegorical narrative poem by William Langland. It is written in unrhymed alliterative verse divided into sections called "passus"...
. In that work, the Lady represents, to the dreaming narrator, a woman of high status, one adorned with jewels and fine robes, but also a distraction and diversion from decent morals.
Banishment
Perrers and the AbbotAbbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of St. Albans engaged in a dispute over land. Prior to King Edward's death, few had prosecuted or challenged her, but that changed in 1376, when she was tried for corruption and subsequently banished from the kingdom by the Good Parliament
Good Parliament
The Good Parliament is the name traditionally given to the English Parliament of 1376. Sitting in London from April 28 to July 10, it was the longest Parliament up until that time....
, her lands forfeit. She was later able to return to England and work to regain some of her lands.
Fictional Portrayals
Alice Perrers is the protagonist of Emma Campion's novel, The King's Mistress. She also appears in Anya SetonAnya Seton
Anya Seton was the pen name of Ann Seton, an American author of historical romances.-Biography:...
's novel, Katherine. Alice Perrers is the main character in Vanora Bennett's novel The People's Queen that was first published in 2010.