Alice Pierce: Difference between revisions

(13 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 8: Line 8:
<br>
<br>


:{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| Layd owt for the company of my lord admeralles||}
| Layd owt for the company of my lord admeralles||}
Line 20: Line 20:
| money the 8 of desembʒ 1597 the some of          ||}
| money the 8 of desembʒ 1597 the some of          ||}
|}
|}
:::wittnes    E Alleyn
:::::wittnes    E Alleyn




:{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| layd owt mor the same tyme for makynge & a payer||}
| layd owt mor the same tyme for makynge & a payer||}
Line 31: Line 31:




:{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| lente vnto Robart shawe for to by cop[er] lace||}
| lente vnto Robart shawe for to by cop[er] lace||}
Line 40: Line 40:
|}
|}
:::wittnes w<sup>m</sup> Borne Jube
:::wittnes w<sup>m</sup> Borne Jube
:::& gabrell spencer
::::& gabrell spencer




Line 48: Line 48:




{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| layd owt for the companye to by tafetie & tynssell||}
| layd owt for the companye to by tafetie & tynssell||}
Line 59: Line 59:




{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| layd owt for mackynge allce perces bodeyes & a payer||}
| layd owt for mackynge allce perces bodeyes & a payer||}
Line 68: Line 68:




{| {{table}}
::{| {{table}}
|-
|-
| lent vnto Robart shawe to by cop<sup>r</sup> lace of sylver for||}
| lent vnto Robart shawe to by cop<sup>r</sup> lace of sylver for||}
Line 81: Line 81:
<br>
<br>
===== List of apparel =====
===== List of apparel =====
Under the heading&nbsp;“''The Enventary of all the aparell for my'' Lord Admeralles men, ''tacken the ''10 ''of Marche ''1598. —''Leaft above in the tier-house in the cheast'' [https://archive.org/details/cu31924026119705/page/n133  ([[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'', APX. I, art. 1, p. 116. l. 53]])].<br>


:''Item'', ... j payer of bodeyes for Alles Pearce
[[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'']]  [https://archive.org/details/cu31924026119705/page/n133  (APX. I, art. 1, p. 116, l. 53)].<br>
 
:Under the heading&nbsp;“''The Enventary of all the aparell for my'' Lord Admeralles men, ''tacken the ''10 ''of Marche ''1598. —''Leaft above in the tier-house in the cheast''.
 
::''Item'', ... j payer of bodeyes for Alles Pearce
<br><br>
<br><br>


===== List of plays=====
===== List of plays=====


Under the heading&nbsp;“''A Note of all suche bookes as belong to the Stocke, and such as I have bought since the 3d of Marche'' 1598 [https://archive.org/details/cu31924026119705/page/n138 ([[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'', APX. I, art. 1, p. 121. l. 193]])]<br><br>
[[WorksCited|Greg, ''Papers'']] [https://archive.org/details/cu31924026119705/page/n138 (APX. I, art. 1, p. 121, l. 193)]<br>
::Alls Perce.
 
:Under the heading&nbsp;“''A Note of all suche bookes as belong to the Stocke, and such as I have bought since the 3d of Marche'' 1598
<br>
 
:::Alls Perce.
<br><br>
<br><br>


==Theatrical Provenance==
==Theatrical Provenance==


The listing of "Alls Perce" among the books Henslowe had in stock or had bought "''since the 3<sup>d</sup> of March 1598''," as well as the payments for apparel for the play in December of 1597, confirms acquisition by the Admiral's men. It also locates that acquisition in the wake of the breakup of Pembroke's men, who had been playing at the Swan in July 1597 and attracting unwelcome governmental attention because of one of their repertory items, "The Isle of Dogs." This coincidence influenced [[WorksCited|'''Greg II''']] to assume that "Alice Pierce" had "been brought in [to the Admiral's holdings] by Pembroke's men," i.e., players including William Bird, Robert Shaa, and Gabriel Spencer (p. 187). If so, the play was performed at both the Swan and Rose playhouses in 1597-8. [[WorksCited|'''Wiggins, ''Catalogue''''']] assigns the "original production" of this play not to Pembroke's but to the Admiral's men (#1091).
The listing of "Alls Perce" among the books Henslowe had in stock or had bought "''since the 3<sup>d</sup> of March 1598''," as well as the payments for apparel for the play in December of 1597, confirms acquisition by the Admiral's men. It also locates that acquisition in the wake of the breakup of Pembroke's men, who had been playing at the Swan in July 1597 and attracting unwelcome governmental attention because of one of their repertory items, "The Isle of Dogs." This coincidence influenced [[WorksCited|Greg II]] to assume that "Alice Pierce" had "been brought in [to the Admiral's holdings] by Pembroke's men," i.e., players including William Bird, Robert Shaa, and Gabriel Spencer (p. 187). If so, the play was performed at both the Swan and Rose playhouses in 1597-8. [[WorksCited|Wiggins, ''Catalogue'']] assigns the "original production" of this play not to Pembroke's but to the Admiral's men (#1091).
<br><br>
<br><br>


==Probable Genre(s)==
==Probable Genre(s)==
<br>
<br>
[[WorksCited|'''Harbage''']] considers the play a history, as does [[WorksCited|'''Wiggins, ''Catalogue''''']] (#1091)
[[WorksCited|Harbage]] considers the play a history, as does [[WorksCited|Wiggins, ''Catalogue'']] (#1091)
<br><br>
<br><br>


Line 113: Line 120:
==Critical Commentary==
==Critical Commentary==


'''Malone''' (I, pt. 2, pp. 302, 307) did not offer an opinion on the identity of the title character, but '''Collier''', in a footnote to the entry recording the Admiral's purchase of material for Alice's gown on 8 December 1597, called her "the mistress to Edward III" (116n). Neither [[WorksCited|'''Fleay, ''BCED''''']] (2.306, #205) nor [[WorksCited|'''Greg II''']] (p. 189, #120) repeated that identification, but it has now become widely accepted. '''Gurr''', however, does not comment on Alice's possible historical identity (he spells the surname "Pearce" [p. 230]).
[[WorksCited|Malone]] did not offer an opinion on the identity of the title character (I, pt. 2, pp. 302, 307), but [[WorksCited|Collier]], in a footnote to the entry recording the Admiral's purchase of material for Alice's gown on 8 December 1597, called her "the mistress to Edward III" (p. 116n). Neither [[WorksCited|Fleay, ''BCED'']] (2.306, #205) nor [[WorksCited|Greg II]] (p. 189, #120) repeated that identification, but it has now become widely accepted. '''Gurr''', however, does not comment on Alice's possible historical identity (he spells the surname "Pearce" [p. 230]).


[[WorksCited|'''Wiggins, ''Catalogue''''']] doesn't question the identification of Alice as Edward III's mistress. Describing the plot, he emphasizes the king's public display of her at Smithfield and her deathbed theft of his rings. In something of an aside, he points to ''Acts and Monuments'', in which Foxe recounts an episode in which Alice got a friar's help in bewitching the king. Wiggins observes that the use of this story "would obviously have a bearing on exactly how black the play painted its title character" (#1091).
[[WorksCited|Wiggins, ''Catalogue'']] doesn't question the identification of Alice as Edward III's mistress. Describing the plot, he emphasizes the king's public display of her at Smithfield and her deathbed theft of his rings. In something of an aside, he points to ''Acts and Monuments'', in which Foxe recounts an episode in which Alice got a friar's help in bewitching the king. Wiggins observes that the use of this story "would obviously have a bearing on exactly how black the play painted its title character" (#1091).


<br><br>
<br><br>
Line 125: Line 132:
==Works Cited==
==Works Cited==


<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Collier, John Payne, ed. ''The Diary of Philip Henslowe, from 1591 to 1609''. London: Shakespeare Society, 1845.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Given-Wilson, C. "Perrers [''married name'' Windsor], Alice." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Given-Wilson, C. "Perrers [''married name'' Windsor], Alice." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;">Gurr, Andrew. ''Shakespeare's Opposites: The Admiral's Company 1594-1625''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em;">Gurr, Andrew. ''Shakespeare's Opposites: The Admiral's Company 1594-1625''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.</div>
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Malone, Edmond. ''The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare''. 21 vols. London: R. C. and J. Rivington, 1821. </div>
<br><br>
<br><br>


Site created and maintained by [[Christopher Matusiak]], updated 16 March 2011. Additions by [[Roslyn L. Knutson]] 31 May 2019.
Site created and maintained by [[Christopher Matusiak]], updated 16 March 2011. Additions by [[Roslyn L. Knutson]] 31 May 2019.
[[category:Christopher Matusiak]] [[category:All]][[category:Roslyn L. Knutson]][[category:Pembroke's]]
[[category:Christopher Matusiak]] [[category:All]][[category:Roslyn L. Knutson]][[category:Pembroke's]]
[[category:Admiral's]][[category:Update]][[category:Costume]]
[[category:Admiral's]][[category:Update]][[category:Costumes]]

Revision as of 11:03, 22 March 2021

Anon. (1597)

Historical Records

Payments

For apparel in Philip Henslowe's diary

Fol. 37v (Greg I, 70)

Layd owt for the company of my lord admeralles }
men for to by tafetie & tynsell to macke a payer }
of bodeyes for a womones gowne to playe allece perce } xxs
for wch I dellyuered vnto the littell tayller Jn Redey }
money the 8 of desembʒ 1597 the some of }
wittnes E Alleyn


layd owt mor the same tyme for makynge & a payer }
of yeare sleavse of the bodeyes of pyges gowne } vjs vijd


lente vnto Robart shawe for to by cop[er] lace }
of [gowe] sylver to lace a payer of hosse for alles perce } xvjs
the 10 desembʒ 1597 the some of }
wittnes wm Borne Jube
& gabrell spencer


Fol. 43v (Greg I, 82) (the following entries appear to duplicate items above except for item two, which adds a bodice for the same cost)


layd owt for the companye to by tafetie & tynssell }
for the bodeyes of a womones gowne to playe allce perce } xxs
wch J dd vnto the litell tayller the 8 of desembʒ 1597 }
wittnes E Alleyn


layd owt for mackynge allce perces bodeyes & a payer }
of yeare sleaues the some of } vjs vijd


lent vnto Robart shawe to by copr lace of sylver for }
a payer of hosse in alls perce the 10 of desembʒ } xvjs
wittnes wm borne Jube & gabrell spenser


Inventories

Philip Henslowe's papers in the Dulwich College Library


List of apparel

Greg, Papers (APX. I, art. 1, p. 116, l. 53).

Under the heading “The Enventary of all the aparell for my Lord Admeralles men, tacken the 10 of Marche 1598. —Leaft above in the tier-house in the cheast.
Item, ... j payer of bodeyes for Alles Pearce



List of plays

Greg, Papers (APX. I, art. 1, p. 121, l. 193)

Under the heading “A Note of all suche bookes as belong to the Stocke, and such as I have bought since the 3d of Marche 1598


Alls Perce.



Theatrical Provenance

The listing of "Alls Perce" among the books Henslowe had in stock or had bought "since the 3d of March 1598," as well as the payments for apparel for the play in December of 1597, confirms acquisition by the Admiral's men. It also locates that acquisition in the wake of the breakup of Pembroke's men, who had been playing at the Swan in July 1597 and attracting unwelcome governmental attention because of one of their repertory items, "The Isle of Dogs." This coincidence influenced Greg II to assume that "Alice Pierce" had "been brought in [to the Admiral's holdings] by Pembroke's men," i.e., players including William Bird, Robert Shaa, and Gabriel Spencer (p. 187). If so, the play was performed at both the Swan and Rose playhouses in 1597-8. Wiggins, Catalogue assigns the "original production" of this play not to Pembroke's but to the Admiral's men (#1091).

Probable Genre(s)


Harbage considers the play a history, as does Wiggins, Catalogue (#1091)

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

A digest of historical sources conveys the key events in the story of Alice Perrers (d. 1499/01), the mistress of King Edward III. At court as a lady in waiting to Edward's queen, Philippa, Alice kept the affair private until the queen died (1369); at about this time also, Alice married Sir William Windsor). Her coming-out party as royal concubine occurred in 1375, when the king held a tournament at Smithfield and presented Alice as the Lady of the Sun. Neither courtiers nor commoners nor poets (William Langland, Geoffrey Chaucer) approved of Alice's immoral behavior and acquisitiveness; an illustrative detail is the rumor that she stole the king's rings as he lay dying (1377). After the king's death, Alice fought (sometimes unsuccessfully) political attempts to imprison her and family attempts to strip her of properties granted her by the king (Given-Wilson).

References to the Play

Information welcome.

Critical Commentary

Malone did not offer an opinion on the identity of the title character (I, pt. 2, pp. 302, 307), but Collier, in a footnote to the entry recording the Admiral's purchase of material for Alice's gown on 8 December 1597, called her "the mistress to Edward III" (p. 116n). Neither Fleay, BCED (2.306, #205) nor Greg II (p. 189, #120) repeated that identification, but it has now become widely accepted. Gurr, however, does not comment on Alice's possible historical identity (he spells the surname "Pearce" [p. 230]).

Wiggins, Catalogue doesn't question the identification of Alice as Edward III's mistress. Describing the plot, he emphasizes the king's public display of her at Smithfield and her deathbed theft of his rings. In something of an aside, he points to Acts and Monuments, in which Foxe recounts an episode in which Alice got a friar's help in bewitching the king. Wiggins observes that the use of this story "would obviously have a bearing on exactly how black the play painted its title character" (#1091).



For What It's Worth

Information welcome.

Works Cited

Given-Wilson, C. "Perrers [married name Windsor], Alice." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004.
Gurr, Andrew. Shakespeare's Opposites: The Admiral's Company 1594-1625. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.



Site created and maintained by Christopher Matusiak, updated 16 March 2011. Additions by Roslyn L. Knutson 31 May 2019.