KING RICHARD III.*

* LIFE AND DEATH OF KING RICHARD III.] This tragedy, though it is called the Life and Death of this Prince, comprizes, at most, but the last eight years of his time; for it opens with George Duke of Clarence being clapped up in the Tower, which happened in the beginning of the year 1477; and closes with the death of Richard at Bosworth field, which battle was fought on the 22d of August, in the year 1485. THEOBALD.

It appears that several dramas on the present subject had been written before Shakspeare attempted it. See the notes at the conclusion of this play, which was first entered at Stationers' Hall by Andrew Wise, Oct. 20, 1597, under the title of The Tragedie of King Richard the Third, with the Death of the Duke of Clarence. Before this, viz. Aug. 15th, 1586, was entered, A tragical Report of King Richard the Third, a Ballad. It may be necessary to remark that the words, song, ballad, enterlude and play, were often synonymously used. STEEVENS.

This play was written, I imagine, in the same year in which it was first printed,-1597. The Legend of King K Richard III. by Francis Seagars, was printed in the first edition of The Mirrour for Magistrates, 1559, and in that of 1575, and 1587, but Shakspeare does not appear to be indebted to it. In a subsequent edition of that book printed in 1610, the old legend was omitted, and a new one inserted, by Richard Niccols, who has very freely copied the play before us. In 1597, when this tragedy was published, Niccols, as Mr. Warton has observed, was but thirteen years old. Hist. of Poetry, Vol. III. p. 267.

The real length of time in this piece is fourteen years; (not eight years, as Mr. Theobald supposed :) for the second scene commences with the funeral of King Henry VI. who, according to the received account, was murdered on the 21st of May, 1471. The imprisonment of Clarence, which is represented previously in the first scene, did not in fact take place till 1477-8.

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It has been since observed to me by Mr. Elderton, (who is of opinion that Richard was charged with this murder by the Lancastrian historians without any foundation,) that it appears the face of the publick accounts allowed in the exchequer maintenance of King Henry and his numerous attendants in the Tower, that he lived to the 12th of June, which was twenty-two days after the time assigned for his pretended assassination; was exposed to the publick view in St. Paul's for some days, and interred at Chertsey with much solemnity, and at no inconsiderable expence." MALONE.

King Edward the Fourth.

Edward, Prince of Wales, after

wards K. Edward V.

Richard, Duke of York,

George, Duke of Clarence,

Sons to the King.

Richard, Duke of Gloster, af Brotherstothe King.

terwards King Richard III.

A young Son of Clarence.

Henry, Earlof Richmond, afterwards K.Henry VII. Cardinal Bourchier, Archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas Rotheram, Archbishop of York. John Mor

ton, Bishop of Ely.

Duke of Buckingham.

Duke of Norfolk: Earl of Surrey, his Son.
Earl Rivers, brother to King Edward's Queen:
Marquis of Dorset, and Lord Grey, her Sons.
Earl of Oxford. Lord Hastings. Lord Stanley.

Lord Lovel.

Sir Thomas Vaughan. Sir Richard Ratcliff.
Sir William Catesby. Sir James Tyrrel.
Sir James Blount. Sir Walter Herbert.

Sir Robert Brakenbury, Lieutenant of the Tower.
Christopher Urswick, a Priest. Another Priest.
Lord Mayor of London. Sheriff of Wiltshire.

Elizabeth, Queen of King Edward IV.
Margaret, Widow of King Henry VI.

Duchess of York, Mother to King Edward IV. Cla

rence, and Gloster.

Lady Anne, Widow of Edward Prince of Wales, Son to King Henry VI.; afterwards married to the Duke of Gloster.

A young Daughter of Clarence.

Lords, and other Attendants; two Gentlemen, a Pursuivant, Scrivener, Citizens, Murderers, Messengers, Ghosts, Soldiers, &c.

SCENE, England.

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

KING RICHARD III.

ACT I. SCENE I.

London. A Street.

Enter GLOSTER.

GLO. Now is the winter of our discontent1 Made glorious summer by this sun of York; 2

1-the winter of our discontent-]

Astrophel and Stella:

2

Thus, in Sidney's

" Gone in the winter of my miserie." STEEVENS.

- this sun of York; Alluding to the cognizance of Edward IV. which was a sun, in memory of the three suns, which are said to have appeared at the battle which he gained over the Lancastrians at Mortimer's Cross.

So, in Drayton's Miseries of Queen Margaret :

" Three suns were seen that instant to appear,
"Which soon again shut themselves up in one;
"Ready to buckle as the armies were,
"Which this brave duke took to himself alone:" &c.

Again, in the 22d Song of the Polyolbion :

" And thankful to high heaven, which of his cause had

care,

" Three suns for his device still in his ensign bare." Such phenomena, if we may believe tradition, were formerly not uncommon. In the Wrighte's Play in the Chester Collection, MS. Harl. 1013, the same circumstance is introduced as attending on a more solemn event: