Peter de la Mare

Sir Peter de la Mare (died c. 1387) was an English politician who is best remembered as the Presiding Officer of the House of Commons during the Good Parliament of 1376. Before becoming speaker, he worked variously as a toll collector, Sheriff of Herefordshire, and as a steward to Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March. It was probably his connection to Mortimer that earned him his position in Parliament.

Peter de la Mare attended the Good Parliament as a representative of Herefordshire. After being elected as Speaker, he served as a spokesman for the House of Commons in the House of Lords during the indictment of various figures close to Edward III, including his mistress Alice Perrers, who had gained an undue amount of influence over the king. However, the political influence of the Good Parliament was brief. In November 1376, Peter de la Mare was imprisoned in Nottingham Castle by John of Gaunt. Despite pleas for his release, the Bad Parliament of 1377 refused to pardon him. However, he did gain his freedom in June 1377 following the death of Edward III. Following his release de la Mare was pardoned and compensated by Richard II. He was reelected as Speaker during the Parliament of October 1377.

De la Mare served in several Parliaments during the 1380s. The last recorded mention of him was as a feoffee to Richard Burley in 1387.

References

*Holmes, George (1975). "The Good Parliament". Oxford, Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-822446-X.