[Before Edward's death, well wist and holpe to mainteine a long continued grudge and heart-burning betweene the queens kinred and the kings bloud, either partie enuieng others authoritie, he now thought that their betwixt the diuision should be (as it was in deed) a furtherlie beginning to Richard had fostered enmity kindred of the King and Queen.] he resolved to make their variance serve his ambition.] the pursuit of his intent. Nay, he was resolued, that the same was a sure [p. 713] ground [Afterwards for the foundation of all his building, if he might first (vnder the pretext of reuenging of old displeasure) abuse the anger and ignorance of the tone partie to the destruction of the tother; and then win to his purpose as manie as he could, and those, that could not be woone, might be lost yer they looked therfore. For of one thing was he certeine, that, if his intent were perceiued, he should soone haue made peace betweene both the parties with his owne bloud. Anno Reg. 17 [18 Stow]. of Clarence Act I. sc. iv.-In this scene two murderers, sent by Richard, slay Clarence, though Edward's order for the Duke's death had been reversed (II. i. 86). The First Murderer exclaims, as he stabs Clarence (I. iv. 276, 277): Take that, and that! if all this will not do, Ile drowne you in the Malmesey-But within. I quote a passage containing the only detail of sc. iv. which Shakspere did not invent. Edward's hatred of Clarence reached such a pitch [Hol. iii. 703/1/40.] that finallie the duke was cast into the George duke Tower, and therewith adiudged for a traitor, and priuilie drowned in a butt of malmesie, the eleuenth of March, in the beginning of the seuententh yeare of the kings reigne.1 drowned in a butt of malmesie. Act II. sc. i.-Edward, who now daily expects death, has made, as he hopes, an "vnited League" between the two parties which divided his Court. Hastings exchanges assurance of friendship with Rivers 2 1 Hol. took this date (March 11) from Stow (717). The rest of the passage is derived from Halle (326). Fab. (666) says that Clarence was put to death on February 18, 1478; a date confirmed by Ing. p. m. 18 E. IV. 46 & 47 (O. B.). More (Hol., iii. 712/1/54), Fab., Halle, and Stour, agree that the Duke was drowned-or, as Stow puts it, "made his ende "-in a butt ("a vessell" Stow) of malmsey. Instead of "drowne you . . within," the Qq. of Rich. III. read: "chop thee . . . But in the next roome." 2 In F. (II. i. 7) Dorset and Rivers-who were not foes-are commanded by Edward to take each other's hand. In the Qq. the King gives this order to Rivers and Hastings. In both texts 11. 9-10 and 11 have the respective prefixes Riu. Hast. and Dorset ; and kisses Queen Elizabeth's hand, which she gives him as a sign of amity. Buckingham professes zealous regard for the Queen and her kindred (11. 1-40). Of this brief truce we have the following account : [While he was in good Edward health cared little for the strife parties at of the two his Court.] last sickness he tried to make peace between [Hol. iii. 713/1/10. More, 8/15.] King Edward, in his life, albeit that this dissention betweene his freends somewhat irked him; yet in his good health he somewhat the lesse regarded it: bicause he thought, whatsoeuer businesse should fall betweene them, himselfe should alwaie be able to rule both the parties. But, in his last sicknesse, when he perceiued his naturall (But in his strength so sore infeebled, that he despaired all recouerie, then he, considering the youth of his children, albeit he nothing lesse mis- them.] trusted than that that hapned, yet well foreseeing that manie harmes might grow by their debate, while the youth of his children should lacke discretion of themselues, & good counsell of their freends, of which either partie should counsell for their owne commoditie, & rather by plesant aduise to win themselues fauor, than by profitable aduertisement to doo the children good, he called some of them before him that were at variance, and in especiall the lord marquesse Dorset, the queencs sonne by hir first husband. lord maligned of the queene & hir kin. So did he also William the lord Hastings, a noble man, then Hastings lord chamberleine, against whome the queene speciallie grudged, chamberleine for the great fauour the king bare him: and also for that she thought him secretlie familiar with the king in wanton companie. Hir kinred also bare him sore, as well for that the king had made him capteine of Calis, (which office the lord Riuers, brother to the queene, clamed of the kings former promise,) as for diuerse other great gifts which he receiued, that they looked for. When these lords, with diuerse other of both the parties, were come in presence, the king, lifting vp himselfe, and vnderset with pillowes, as it is reported, on this wise said vnto them. [I omit "The oration of the king on his death-bed."] [Hol. iii. 714/1/22. More, 11/30.] And therewithall the king, no longer induring to sit vp, laid him downe on his right side, his face towards them: and none was there present that could refraine from weeping. A counterfet [When a pardon was But the lords, recomforting him with as good words as they could, and answering for the time as they thought to stand with his pleasure, there in his presence, as by their words appeared, ech forgaue other, and ioined their hands togither; when (as it after appeared by their deeds) their hearts were farre asunder. When Buckingham has vowed peace, Richard enters and quickly seizes an opportunity to let Edward know that a royal order countermanding Clarence's death arrived too late (11. 75-90). Then comes the "Earle of Derby," beseeching pardon for his servant, who has been guilty of homicide. Edward exclaims (11. 102-107) : Haue I a tongue to doome my Brothers death, And yet his punishment was bitter death. After Clarence's removal, 104 [Hol. iii. 703/1/66. Halle, 326.] although king Edward were consenting to his death, yet he much did both lament his infortunate chance, & repent his sudden execution: insomuch that, craved from when anie person sued to him for the pardon of malefactors condemned to death, he would accustomablie saie, & openlie speake: "Oh infortunate brother, for whose life not one would make "sute!" Edward he would lament that no one had asked mercy for Clarence.] Act II. sc. ii.-Shakspere might have learnt from Holinshed that "the old Dutchesse of Yorke was grandmother to "the two children of Clarence," 3 with whom she enters in this scene. Holinshed has also an account (iii. 703/2/2) of the "two yoong infants" left by Clarence; whose names were Edward 4 and Margaret. The Duchess and her grandchildren speak of Clarence's death (February, 1478) as a recent event. Their talk is interrupted by the entrance of Queen Elizabeth, distracted with grief for the loss of King Edward (April 9, 1483). Rivers and Dorset accompany the Queen (1. 33). Soon the characters already assembled are joined by Richard, Buckingham, and Hastings (1. 100). 1 In some other scenes of the Qq. and F. he is rightly called Stanley. Thomas Lord Stanley was created Earl of Derby by Henry VII., on October 27, 1485.-Dugdale, iii. 248/2. 2 Kneel'd at . . . and bad] QI. Kneel'd and . . . and bid F1. 3 "In this verie season [1495] departed to God Cicilie duchesse of Yorke, moother to king Edward the fourth."-Hol. iii. 780/1/1. 4 In F. Edw. is prefixed to the first speech of Clarence's son. --and throughout this scene in the Qq.-he is called Boy. Afterwards Buckingham reminds the lords present of their late reconciliation, and adds (II. 120-122): Me seemeth good, that, with some little Traine, 120 Riuers. Why "with some little Traine," my Lord of Buckingham ? The new-heal'd wound of Malice should breake out; By how much the estate is greene and yet vngouern'd: ... 124 Rivers and Hastings accept Buckingham's advice (11. 134-140).1 Richard says: "Then be it so" (1. 141). The position of affairs at Edward's death, and Richard's intrigues to gain possession of the young King, are described in the following excerpts: [Hol. iii. 714/1/36. More, 12/6.] As soone as the king was departed, the noble prince his sonne drew toward London; which at the time of his deceasse kept his houshold at Ludlow in Wales, The Prince household at kept his Ludlow.] [was his governor]. To the gouernance and ordering of this yoong prince, at his sending thither, was there appointed sir Anthonie Wooduile, lord Lord Rivers Riuers, and brother vnto the queene; a right honourable man, as valiant of hand as politike in counsell. Adioined were there vnto him other of the same partie; and in effect euerie one as he was neerest of kin vnto the queene, so was he planted next about the prince. That drift by the queene not vnwiselie deuised, whereby hir bloud might of youth be rooted into the princes fauour, the duke of Glocester turned vnto their destruction; and vpon that ground set the foundation of all his vnhappie building. For whome soeuer he perceiued either at variance with them, or bearing himselfe their fauour, he brake vnto them, some by mouth, & some by writing. [Hol. iii. 714/2/35. More, 14/6.] More, 14/6.] With these words and writings, and such other, the duke of Glocester soone set on fire them that were of themselues easie to kindle, &, in especiall,2 twaine, Henry3 duke of Buckingham, and William lord Hastings, then chamberleine; both men of honour & of great power: the one ... 1 123-140. Riuers. Why say I] F. 2 in speciall] More. in especiallie Hol Not in Qq. 3 Henry] Edward Hol. The duke of Glocesters solicitations the ne Queen's mies of the kindred]. A consent to worke wickednesse [between Richard, Buckingham, and Hastings. They agreed to remove the Queen's friends from the young King.] by long succession from his ancestrie, the other by his office and the kings fauour. These two, not bearing ech to other so much loue, as hatred both vnto the queenes part, in this point accorded togither with the duke of Glocester; that they would vtterlie remoue from the kings companie all his mothers freends, vnder the name of their enimies. Upon this concluded the duke of Glocester, vnderstanding that the lords, which at that time were about the king, intended to bring him vp to his coronation accompanied with such power of their freends, that it should be hard for him to bring his purpose to passe, without the gathering and great assemblie of people and in maner of open warre, whereof the end (he wist) was doubtfull ; and in which, the king being on their side, his part should haue the face and name of a rebellion: he secretlie therfore by diuers means caused the queene1 to be persuaded and brought in the mind, that ought not to it neither were need, and also should be ieopardous, the king to come vp strong. [Richard persuaded the Queen that her son have a large escort.] For whereas now euerie lord loued other, and none other thing studied vpon, but about the coronation and honor of the king; if the lords of hir kindred should assemble in the kings name much people, they should giue the lords, betwixt whome and them had beene sometime debate, to feare and suspect, least they should gather this people, not for the kings safegard, (whome no man impugned,) but for their destruction; hauing more regard to their old variance, than their new attonement. For which cause they should assemble on the other partie much people againe for their defense, (whose power she wist well far stretched,) and thus should all the realme fall on a rore. And of all the hurt that thereof should insue, (which was likelie [p. 715] not to be little, and the most harme there like to fall where she least would,) all the world would put hir and hir kindered in the wight, and saie that they had vnwiselie and vntrulie also broken the amitie & peace, that the king hir husband so prudentlie made, betweene his kin and 1 In the play Queen Elizabeth is not asked to give her opinion about the number of her son's escort. Richard merely requests her and his mother to deliver their "censures" touching the persons who are to be sent post to Ludlow (II. ii. 141-144). |