Peter Perkins alias Morley
Peter Perkins alias Morley (c. 1325–1380) was Sergeant to Hugh le Despencer, Baron le Despencer, for his manor of Shipton in Oxfordshire, England, and was the ancestor of a family of the landed gentry. He died at Ufton.
It has been claimed that Perkins was a migrant from Morlaix in the Duchy of Brittany and that he had previously been known as Pierre de Morlaix, becoming known in England as Morley and later as Perkins, but reliable sources for this are lacking.
Life
If Perkins originated in Brittany, the date of his move to England is unknown, but he undoubtedly settled in Shropshire where he served the powerful nobleman Hugh le Despencer, becoming Steward of the latter's Oxfordshire estate. If Perkins was previously Pierre de Morlaix, it is possible that he knew members of the Despencer family from his days in Brittany, since the Despencer family had estates in the Morlaix region. This would also explain his rise to power within the Despencer household. A Seneschal, or Steward, was in effect a trusted estate manager. In surviving records, Perkins is referred to as "serviens" to Despencer. Various authors have described him as a "servus", "bailiff", or "sargent".
Peter Perkins or Morley married Agnes Taylor (c. 1352–1399), the daughter of John Taylor (c. 1327–1377) and Margaret Welmote (born c. 1328).
Disputed origins
It has been claimed that Peter's earlier name was Pierre de Morlaix, and that he came to England from Brittany. Another name ascribed to him in a family pedigree is Peter Morley, which might be an anglicization of "Morlaix", while the name Pierrekin can mean "little Pierre", and Perkins can also denote a son of Peterkin.
An originator of the Pierre de Morlaix theory was an American called A. T. Perkins, in a book called: A PRIVATE PROOF printed in order to preserve certain matters connected with the Boston Branch of the PERKINS FAMILY intended only as an indication of the best points of further investigation (Boston: T. R. Marvin & Son, Printers, 1890). The book begins as follows:
In the latter part of the long reign of King Edward the First, 1272–1307, Pierre de Morlaix, the ancestor of this family so far as known, was born, whether in England or at Morlaix in France is not ascertained.
Later in his book Perkins makes the claim that “Henry, the son of Pierre de Morlaix by his wife Alice Taylor, who succeeded to the Stewardship of the estate of Despenser, is called Henry Pierrekins or Henry the son of Pierre.” However, there is no historical evidence that Henry ever called himself Pierrekins or even that he worked for the Despenser family. Since there is documentary evidence that both his father, Peter, and his son, John, worked for the Despensers, it is likely that Henry was also employed by them.
After his first book was published, Perkins acknowledged that the “Pierre de Morlaix” theory may be incorrect. This acknowledgement appears in a later work, The Perkins Family in ye Olden Times, at pages 67-68:
Boston, 14 March 1891
My Dear Mr. Perkins: Mr. Parkyns, Miss Sharp, Dr. George Perkins and you have certainly knocked some of my theories from under me with a vengeance, and I only wish you had done it some months earlier, before my book was printed, for I should certainly have called a halt had I had matters put before me as I see them now; but it is all right, for in our matters nothing is of great importance, even if it is true, but it is worse than nothing, much worse, if it is not true. (Signed) A. T. Perkins
An argument against the "Morlaix" theory is that the only historical record for Peter and Henry is the Pedigree, so this theory appears to be no more than speculation.
In her book on the history of the Perkins family and Ufton Court, A. Mary Sharp makes no mention of Morlaix, but she does claim that in the Pedigree "Morley" may be an error for "Moore", as the names of Moore and Perkins are found constantly together in Shropshire and Oxfordshire, but Morley is not otherwise found there.
Nevertheless, James Fulton Perkins has asserted:
"The last generation to use the original spelling of "Morlaix" in or around 1331 was the family of one Pierre de Morlaix of Shropshire, England. He appears to have been born 1312 in Bretagne, Morlaix, Normandy, France and died about 1384 in Shropshire, England. His name indicates that although originally from Morlaix, Normandy, France, he was part of the Celtic/Welsh group previously mentioned who migrated to England. During this time period surnames were not in common use. Everybody was known by some personal characteristic such as what they did, who their father was or where they came from, hence Pierre de Morlaix was from Morlaix, France. Attaining a high position within English society, Pierre became the High Steward of the Hugo de Spencer Estate of Oxfordshire, England (later known as the House of Spencer, of whom Princess Diana was a daughter).
"Pierre changed his name to the English translated version "Peter Morley" when Charles V of France renewed the Hundred Years War with England. This war was disrupting English shipping, compromising trade with Spain and the Netherlands and persecuting English subjects on the mainland in many ways. Because of the French victory at the Battle of Hastings, Frenchmen became persona-non-grata in England. To conceal his French origins Pierre changed his name to the English translation, Peter Morley (1312–1384).
"Unwilling to end the heritage of the de Morlaix name, when Peter Morley (or Pierre de Morlaix) married Agnes Taylor, daughter of John Taylor and Margaret Welmote of Madresfield, Worcestershire, England, they had a son named Henry Pierrekin (meaning "first son of Pierre"), born 1340 in Shropshire, England, and died in Hillmorton, Warwickshire, England). The "kin" suffix indicates the eldest son in a family and any subsequent sons are simply called with the suffix "son", as in "Pierreson". Hence, the first son is Pierrekin and the second son of Peter (Pierre) Morley would be "Pierreson"." [1]
References
- Perkins, George A., The Genealogy of John Perkins (Salem, MA: Salem Press Publishing & Printing Co., 1889)
- Perkyns of Ufton [MS. Ashmole 853], p. 301
- Visitation of Berkshire 1665-66, Harleian Society Visitation Series, vol. 56, pgs. 118-119
- D. W. Perkins, editor, The Perkins Family in Ye Olden Times (Utica, NY, 1916)
p. 36
- A. Mary Sharp, History of Ufton Court, Bershire, and the Perkins Family (London, 1892)
- The Ancient History of the Distinguished Surname Perkins, an Essay in Two Parts by James Fulton Perkins
- http://www.britannia.com/history/berks/gene/perkped.htm
Notes
- ↑ "The Ancient History Of the Distinguished Surname Perkins An Essay in Two Parts by James Fulton Perkins"
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