Princess Joan of Acre, (daughter of Edward the First), _born_ at
Caerphilly Castle, November, 1292; _married_ May 20, 1306, with a dowry
of 2000 pounds from the Crown, in part payment of which the custody of
Philip Paynel was granted to Hugh the Elder, June 3, 1304 (_Rot.
Claus._, 1 Edward the Second). Her youngest child was born at
Northampton, in December, 1326, and she sent William de Culpho with the
news to the King, who gave him a silver-gilt cup in reward (Wardrobe
Accounts, 25/1 and 31/19). On the 19th of April, 1326, and for 49 days
afterwards, she was in charge of Prince John of Eltham, who was ill at
Kenilworth in April. She left that place on May 22, arriving at Shene
in four days, and in June she was at Rochester and Ledes Castle. Three
interesting Wardrobe Accounts are extant, showing her expenses at this
time (31/17 to 31/19); but the last is almost illegible. "Divers
decoctions and recipes" made up at Northampton for the young Prince,
came to 6 shillings, 9 pence. "Litter for my Lady's bed" (to put under
the feather bed in the box-like bedstead) cost 6 pence. Either her
Ladyship or her royal charge must have entertained a strong predilection
for "shrimpis," judging from the frequency with which that entry occurs.
Four quarters of wheat, we are told, made 1200 loaves. There is
evidence of a good deal of company, the principal guests beside Priors
and Canons being the Lady of Montzone, the Lady of Hastings (Julian,
mother of Lawrence Earl of Pembroke), Eneas de Bohun (son of Princess
Elizabeth), Sir John Neville (one of the captors of Mortimer), and John
de Bentley (probably the ex-gaoler of Elizabeth Queen of Scotland, who
appears in the companion volume). Sundry young people seem to have been
also in Lady La Despenser's care, as companions to the Prince:--Earl
Lawrence of Pembroke; Margery de Verdon, step-daughter of Alianora's
sister Elizabeth; and Joan Jeremy, or Jermyn, sister of Alice wife of
Prince Thomas de Brotherton. The provision for April 30, the vigil of
Saint Philip, and therefore a fast-day, is as follows (a few words are
illegible): _Pantry_:--60 loaves of the King's bread at 5 and 4 to the
penny, 13 and a half pence. _Buttery_:--One pitcher of wine from the
King's stores at Kenilworth; 22 gallons of beer, at 1 and a half pence
per gallon, 2 shillings 6 pence. _Wardrobe_: ... lights, a farthing; a
halfpennyworth of candles of cotton ... _Kitchen_:--50 herrings, 2 and
a half pence