The "Good Parliament" (1376) attempted to carry through important
reforms. It impeached (for the first time in English history)[1]
certain prominent men for fraud (S243). But in the end its work
failed for want of a leader. The King's last days were far from
happy. His son, the Black Prince (S238), had died, and Edward fell
entirely into the hands of selfish favorites and ambitious schemers
like John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. Perhaps the worst one of this
corrupt "ring" was a woman named Alice Perrers, who, after Queen
Philippa was no more (S240), got almost absolute control of the King.
She stayed with him until his last sickness. When his eyes began to
glaze in death, she plucked the rings from his unresisting hands, and
fled from the palace.