Alice Bures

Last updated

The wedding of Isabella and Richard II, mentioned in letters received by Alice Marriage of Isabella and Richard II.jpg
The wedding of Isabella and Richard II, mentioned in letters received by Alice

Alice Bures (about 1360-1435), also known by her married name of Alice Brian and sometimes as Alice de Bryene, was an English landowner whose estates were centred on Suffolk. Widowed about age 26, she spent the next 49 years of her life bringing up her two daughters, looking after her household, and running her estates. Some letters she received and some of her household accounts have been published, giving a valuable insight into the life of a well-off gentlewoman in the English countryside at that time. [1] [2]

Contents

Origins

Probably born at Acton in Suffolk around 1360, she was the only surviving child of Sir Robert Bures, of Bures St Mary, a landowner, and his wife Joan Sutton, [1] daughter of Sir Richard Sutton, of Navestock. [2] Her paternal grandfather was Sir Andrew Bures, whose widow Alice had married Sir John Sutton, of Wivenhoe, and retained some of the family estates until her death in 1392. [2] Her great-grandfather, Sir Robert Bures, had been a courtier and administrator who owned fifteen estates in East Anglia, most of which passed down to Alice and included Acton, where she spent most of her life. [1]

Life

Her father died in 1361 and in 1363 her widowed mother married Sir Richard Waldegrave, a notable soldier, courtier and politician, [1] and with him had a son, Sir Richard Waldegrave, a half-brother to Alice. [2]

In 1375, aged about 15, she was married to Sir Guy Brian, born about 1352 as the eldest son of Guy Brian, Baron Brian, and his second wife Elizabeth Montagu. Her father-in-law, also a notable soldier, courtier and politician, not only paid her stepfather a considerable sum but also endowed Alice with estates in Dorset and Gloucestershire. The young couple had two daughters before Sir Guy died in Spain in 1386. His body was brought back to be buried at Slapton in Devon and she was executor of his will. She then had to combat attempts to diminish her young daughters' inheritance by her late husband's younger brother, Sir William Brian, and by her father's stepfather, Sir John Sutton. [1]

She owned over 2,400 hectares in East Anglia and the West Country as well as a property in the City of London, much of it leased out but the lands near Acton she managed herself. Entertaining extensively, sometimes gatherings for women friends only, she had a suitor who called often but eventually settled for another rich widow. Well educated, she could write good French and had books in Latin. A probable attender at the court of King Richard II, she housed and educated two girls who were his wards. With her own private chapel and chaplains at Acton, she strictly observed the calendar of the Catholic church. [1]

Her mother died in 1406 and her stepfather in 1410. [2] She died in 1435, aged about 75, and was buried at All Saints church in Acton, where her monumental brass survives. [1]

Family

Her two daughters were:

Although she lived to see two great-grandchildren born, neither left children and she has no descendants.

Surviving documents

She has been cited in historical studies because of two surviving documents that have been published.

One is a single leaf in French containing copies of eight letters received during the 1390s. These include one from King Richard II, one from John Devereux, 2nd Baron Devereux, whose son John had married her daughter Philippa, two from the younger John written at Calais around 31 October 1396 at the time of the marriage of Richard II to Isabella of Valois, and one from her other son-in-law Robert Lovell. [9] [10]

The other is her household book for the twelve months from October 1412, giving details in Latin of food and drink consumed. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

Unpublished but surviving are some stewards' accounts for the manor of Acton and some bailiff's accounts, which illustrate her life and finances and by extension those of contemporaries in a similar position.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex</span> English noble and general (1541-1576)

Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG, was an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantations of Ireland, most notably the Rathlin Island massacre. He was the father of Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex, who was Elizabeth I's favourite during her later years.

Margaret of Norfolk or Margaret of Brotherton, Duchess of Norfolk in her own right, was the daughter and eventual sole heir of Thomas of Brotherton, eldest son of King Edward I of England by his second marriage. In 1338, she succeeded to the earldom of Norfolk and the office of Earl Marshal. In 1397, she was created Duchess of Norfolk for life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham</span>

Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham KG, also known in older sources as Lord Scrope was a favourite of Henry V, who performed many diplomatic missions. He was beheaded for his involvement in the notional Southampton Plot to assassinate the king. Some historians believe that the charge was trumped-up to punish him for other acts of disloyalty, and that there may never have been such a plot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick</span> English nobleman

Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, was an English nobleman, known as Baron Rich between 1581 and 1618, when he was created Earl of Warwick. He was the first husband of Penelope Devereux, whom he divorced in 1605 on the grounds of her adultery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Arden</span> English nobleman and head of the Arden family

Edward Arden was an English nobleman and head of the Arden family, who became a Catholic martyr.

Joan Holland was the third daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, and Alice FitzAlan. She married four times. Her first husband was a duke, and the following three were barons. All of her marriages were most likely childless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon</span> English noblewoman

Lady Anne Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon was an English noble. She was the daughter of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and Catherine Woodville, sister of queen consort Elizabeth Woodville. She was first the wife of Sir Walter Herbert and then George Hastings, 1st Earl of Huntingdon, and served in the household of King Henry VIII's daughter, the future Queen Mary I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Trussell, Countess of Oxford</span> English noblewoman

Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Oxford was an English noblewoman. As a young child she became a royal ward.

William Conyers, 1st Baron Conyers, also known as William Conyers of Hornby, was an English baron and aristocrat.

Alice of Norfolk or Alice of Brotherton was an English noblewoman. She was the daughter of Thomas of Brotherton, and a granddaughter of King Edward I of England. She married Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne Morgan, Baroness Hunsdon</span> English noblewoman

Anne Morgan, Baroness Hunsdon was an English official. She was the wife of Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, by whom she had a total of 13 children. On 14 December 1595, she was appointed by Queen Elizabeth I of England to the office of Keeper of Somerset House; a post which she held for life. She also served the Queen as a Lady of the Privy Chamber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Stapleton</span>

Sir Bryan Stapleton KG was an English medieval knight from Yorkshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward North, 1st Baron North</span> English politician and Baron

Edward North, 1st Baron North was an English peer and politician. He was the Clerk of the Parliaments 1531–1540 and Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire 1557–1564. A successful lawyer, he was created the first Baron North, giving him a seat in the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry FitzHugh, 3rd Baron FitzHugh</span>

Henry FitzHugh, 3rd Baron FitzHugh KG of Ravensworth Castle in North Yorkshire, was an administrator and diplomat who served under Kings Henry IV and Henry V.

Sir Thomas Parr was an English landowner and elected Member of Parliament six times between 1435 and 1459. He was great-grandfather of Queen Catherine Parr, the sixth wife of King Henry VIII.

Ralph Eure, 3rd Baron Eure, of Ingleby and Malton, Yorkshire, was an English nobleman and politician. The surname, also given as Evers, was at that time probably pronounced "Ewry".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby</span> English baron

William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby KG was an English baron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Neville (poet)</span>

William Neville of Penwyn and Wyke Sapie, Worcestershire, was the son of Richard Neville, 2nd Baron Latimer, and the author of The Castell of Pleasure. In 1532 he was accused of treason and dabbling in magic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Tuddenham</span>

Sir Thomas Tuddenham was an influential Norfolk landowner, official and courtier. He served as Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Keeper of the Great Wardrobe. During the Wars of the Roses he allied himself with the Lancastrian side, and after the Yorkist victory in 1461 was charged with treason and beheaded on Tower Hill on 23 February 1462.

Sir Thomas Perrot was an Elizabethan courtier, soldier, and Member of Parliament. He campaigned in Ireland and the Low Countries, and was involved in the defence of England against the Spanish Armada. He was imprisoned several times, on one occasion to prevent a duel with Sir Walter Raleigh, and on another occasion because of his secret marriage to Dorothy Devereux, a Lady-in-waiting to the Queen, and sister of the Queen's favourite, the Earl of Essex. Perrot's only daughter, Penelope, married Sir Robert Naunton, author of Fragmenta Regalia, which claimed that Perrot's father, Sir John Perrot, was an illegitimate son of Henry VIII.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 ffiona von Westhoven Peregrinor (1 September 2017). "Bryene (Brian, Bryan, née Bures), Alice (c1360–1435)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/107341 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 L.S. Woodger (1993). "Waldegrave, Sir Richard (c1338-1410), of Walgrave, Northamptonshire. and Smallbridge in Bures St Mary, Suffolk". History of Parliament . Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Carole Rawcliffe (2004). "Devereux, John, Baron Devereux (d1393)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7564 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ↑ Brigette Vale (3 January 2008). "Scrope, Henry, third Baron Scrope of Masham (c1376–1415)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/24959 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  5. ↑ Simon Walker (23 September 2004). "Lovell, John, fifth Baron Lovell (c1342–1408)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/53092 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ↑ J.S. Roskell; L. Clark; C. Rawcliffe, eds. (1993). "Stafford, Sir Humphrey II (c1379-1442), of Hooke, Dorset". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1386-1421 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ↑ John Watts (3 January 2008). "Butler, James, first earl of Wiltshire and fifth earl of Ormond (1420–1461)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4188 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. 1 2 Anne Curry (3 January 2008). "FitzAlan, John, seventh earl of Arundel (1408–1435)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography . Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9532 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.(Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  9. ↑ Rickert, Edith (1927). "A Leaf from a Fourteenth-Century Letter Book". Modern Philology. Vol. 25. pp. 249–255.
  10. ↑ F. Swabey (1998). "The letter book of Alice de Bryene and Alice de Sutton's list of debts". Nottingham Medieval Studies. Vol. 42. pp. 122–145.
  11. ↑ Dale, M. K.; Redstone, V. B., eds. (1931). The Household Book of Dame Alice de Bryene, 1412-1413. Ipswich: Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and Natural History.
  12. ↑ Myatt-Price, Evelyn M (1960). "A Tally of Ale". Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General). Vol. 123. pp. 62–67.
  13. ↑ Rubin, Ernest (1972). "Statistical Exploration of a Medieval Household Book". The American Statistician. Vol. 26. pp. 37–39.
  14. ↑ F. Swabey (1998). "The household of Alice de Bryene". In M. Carlin; J. T. Rosenthal (eds.). Food and eating in medieval Europe. pp. 133–144.
  15. ↑ Swabey, ffiona (1999). Medieval Gentlewoman: life in a gentry household in the later Middle Ages. New York: Routledge.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.