Mary of Woodstock
Encyclopedia
Mary of Woodstock known anachronistically as Mary Plantagenet, was the seventh named daughter of Edward I of England
and Eleanor of Castile
.
, had decided to retire to Amesbury
Priory in Wiltshire
, a daughter house of Fontevrault. She lobbied for Mary and another granddaughter, Eleanor of Brittany, to become Benedictine nun
s at the priory. Despite resistance from Eleanor of Castile, Mary was dedicated at Amesbury on Assumption Day 1285, at the age of seven, alongside thirteen daughters of noble
s. She was not formally veiled a nun until December 1291, when she had reached the age of twelve. Eleanor of Brittany had been veiled in March, while Eleanor of Provence did not arrive until June 1286.
Mary's parents granted her £100 per year for life (approximately £ as of ); she also received double the usual allowance for clothing and a special entitlement to wine from the stores, and lived in comfort in private quarters. Her father visited her and Eleanor at the priory repeatedly: twice in 1286 and in 1289, and again in 1290 and 1291. Eleanor of Provence died in 1291, and it was expected that Mary would move to Fontevrault. Certainly the prioress of Fontevrault wrote frequently to Edward I asking that his daughter be allowed to live there. Probably to prevent his daughter falling into French hands in the event of war with England, Edward refused, and Mary remained at Amesbury, while her allowance was doubled to £200 per year. In 1292, she was also given the right to forty oaks per year from royal forests and twenty tuns of wine per year from Southampton
.
in 1293, and regularly attended court, spending five weeks there in 1297, in the run-up to her sister Elizabeth
's departure to Holland. By the end of the century, she held the post of vicegerent
and visitatrix for the abbess, with the right to authorise the transfer of nuns between convents. In 1302, her £200 per year was replaced by the rights to several manors and the borough of Wilton
, all held on condition that she remain in England. However, she ran up considerable dice gambling
debts while visiting her father's court, and in 1305 was given £200 to pay them off. She was also given Grove Priory in Bedfordshire to manage, holding this until her death.
Mary was unsuccessful in obtaining high office in the order, whereas Eleanor of Brittany became abbess at Fontevrault in 1304. The papal bull
Periculoso
was read at Amesbury in 1303, requiring nuns to remain within their religious establishments, but Mary's travels do not appear to have been affected. She went on numerous pilgrimages, including one to Canterbury
, and continued to visit court, with a retinue of up to twenty-four horses, sometimes with fellow nuns. Soon after 1313, her role as visitor was removed. In 1317, Mary's brother Edward, by now King Edward II, asked Eleanor to restore her to the post, but his request was refused. But Mary persevered and obtained a papal mandate requiring her reinstatement, which Eleanor appears to have obeyed.
Mary died in about 1332, and was probably buried in Amesbury. After her death, John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
, attempting to divorce Jeanne of Bar
, claimed to have had an affair with Mary before he married her niece Jeanne. If John's claim was valid, his marriage to Mary's niece would have been rendered null and void, but despite papal mandates for inquests to be made into the matter, the truth was never established.
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
and Eleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile was the first queen consort of Edward I of England. She was also Countess of Ponthieu in her own right from 1279 until her death in 1290, succeeding her mother and ruling together with her husband.-Birth:...
.
Early life
Mary's grandmother, Eleanor of ProvenceEleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
, had decided to retire to Amesbury
Amesbury
Amesbury is a town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. It is most famous for the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which is in its parish, and for the discovery of the Amesbury Archer—dubbed the King of Stonehenge in the press—in 2002...
Priory in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, a daughter house of Fontevrault. She lobbied for Mary and another granddaughter, Eleanor of Brittany, to become Benedictine nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
s at the priory. Despite resistance from Eleanor of Castile, Mary was dedicated at Amesbury on Assumption Day 1285, at the age of seven, alongside thirteen daughters of noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
s. She was not formally veiled a nun until December 1291, when she had reached the age of twelve. Eleanor of Brittany had been veiled in March, while Eleanor of Provence did not arrive until June 1286.
Mary's parents granted her £100 per year for life (approximately £ as of ); she also received double the usual allowance for clothing and a special entitlement to wine from the stores, and lived in comfort in private quarters. Her father visited her and Eleanor at the priory repeatedly: twice in 1286 and in 1289, and again in 1290 and 1291. Eleanor of Provence died in 1291, and it was expected that Mary would move to Fontevrault. Certainly the prioress of Fontevrault wrote frequently to Edward I asking that his daughter be allowed to live there. Probably to prevent his daughter falling into French hands in the event of war with England, Edward refused, and Mary remained at Amesbury, while her allowance was doubled to £200 per year. In 1292, she was also given the right to forty oaks per year from royal forests and twenty tuns of wine per year from Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
.
Representative of the order
Despite being resident at the priory, Mary began to travel the country. She visited her brother EdwardEdward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
in 1293, and regularly attended court, spending five weeks there in 1297, in the run-up to her sister Elizabeth
Elizabeth of Rhuddlan
Elizabeth of Rhuddlan was the eighth and youngest daughter of Edward I of England and Eleanor of Castile...
's departure to Holland. By the end of the century, she held the post of vicegerent
Vicegerent
Vicegerent is the official administrative deputy of a ruler or head of state: vice + gerere .-Related usage:*The Byzantine Emperors held as a title "God's Vicegerent on Earth"....
and visitatrix for the abbess, with the right to authorise the transfer of nuns between convents. In 1302, her £200 per year was replaced by the rights to several manors and the borough of Wilton
Wilton, Wiltshire
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, , England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at...
, all held on condition that she remain in England. However, she ran up considerable dice gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
debts while visiting her father's court, and in 1305 was given £200 to pay them off. She was also given Grove Priory in Bedfordshire to manage, holding this until her death.
Mary was unsuccessful in obtaining high office in the order, whereas Eleanor of Brittany became abbess at Fontevrault in 1304. The papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
Periculoso
Periculoso
Periculoso was a papal decretal of Pope Boniface VIII issued in 1298, that required the claustration of Catholic nuns. It is often incorrectly referred to as a papal bull.-Canonical status:...
was read at Amesbury in 1303, requiring nuns to remain within their religious establishments, but Mary's travels do not appear to have been affected. She went on numerous pilgrimages, including one to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and continued to visit court, with a retinue of up to twenty-four horses, sometimes with fellow nuns. Soon after 1313, her role as visitor was removed. In 1317, Mary's brother Edward, by now King Edward II, asked Eleanor to restore her to the post, but his request was refused. But Mary persevered and obtained a papal mandate requiring her reinstatement, which Eleanor appears to have obeyed.
Later life
Despite her apparent conflict with Eleanor, Mary continued to live comfortably. In 1316, she was able to borrow more than £2 from abbey funds (approximately £ as of ), and sent a clerk to London on personal errands, at the priory's expense. Dominican monk and lecturer Nicholas Trevet dedicated to Mary his Cronicles, which she possibly commissioned him to write. Intended as an amusing history of the world, it later becoming an important source for several popular works of the period. Additionally, several nobles who wished their daughters to take vows placed them into her custody.Mary died in about 1332, and was probably buried in Amesbury. After her death, John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey
John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey was a prominent English nobleman and military commander during the reigns of Henry III of England and Edward I of England. During the Second Barons' War he switched sides twice, ending up in support of the king, for whose capture he was present at Lewes in 1264...
, attempting to divorce Jeanne of Bar
Jeanne de Bar
Joan of Bar was the younger daughter of Henry III, Count of Bar and Princess Eleanor of England, and niece of Edward II of England. She was unhappily married to John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey. In 1354, Joan became the regent of Bar for her great-nephew, Robert I.Joan was a granddaughter of...
, claimed to have had an affair with Mary before he married her niece Jeanne. If John's claim was valid, his marriage to Mary's niece would have been rendered null and void, but despite papal mandates for inquests to be made into the matter, the truth was never established.