Lost 17th Century history casting the King Richard III as ‘good’ and ‘just’ is set for republication
New battle to clear Richard III’s name: Lost 17th-century history portraying the king as ‘good’ and ‘just’ is about to be republished – and will challenge Shakespeare’s depiction of a ruthless tyrant
- Members of the Richard III Society secured a text approved by the Society of Antiquaries
A new battle to clear Richard III’s name has begun as a lost 17th-century history denouncing the king as ‘good’ and ‘just’ is ready for republication.
The Shakespearean depiction of a power-hungry king who murders children has tarnished Richard III’s reputation in the years since his two-year reign and his death at the Battle of Bosworth, in Leicestershire, in August 1485.
But now defenders of Richard who have continually fought against what they believe is character assassination, with evidence that he was, in fact, a better person than he has been portrayed.
Members of the Richard III Society have secured a reissue of a lost 17th century history text entitled The History of King Richard III by Sir George Buck, which has been approved by the Society of Antiquaries.
Philippa Langley, the historian who led the discovery of Richard III’s body in 2012, said The times: ‘It is a very important text. The Society of Antiquarians guards its reputation fiercely. That they give it their thumbs up is huge.’
A new battle to clear Richard III’s name has begun as the lost 17th-century history denouncing the king as ‘good’ and ‘just’ is ready for republication
The Shakespearean depiction of a power-hungry king who murders children has marked Richard III’s reputation since his two-year reign and his death at the Battle of Bosworth, (pictured) in Leicestershire, in August 1485.
Written in the early 17th century, Sir Buck, who was a “master of revelry” to James I, is believed to have “worked hard” to find historical sources and “his conclusions challenged the orthodox, villainous opinion” of the king, the publication reports.
But the text was not published before his death, and a second cousin who shared Buck’s name later adopted it. He had edited the piece ‘heavily’ and hidden ‘the true content’.
Sir Buck’s first design was later damaged in a fire in 1731.
Academic Arthur Kincaid later in the 20th century devoted his life’s work to compiling the work originally completed by Buck before heavy editing. He published a first edition in 1979.
After the body of King Richard III was found in 2012 in the Gray Friars car park in Leicester, calls have been made for a new edition as Kincaid’s publication has been out of print for many years. Kincaid sadly passed away last July after a battle with lung cancer.
Members of the Richard III Society have secured a reissue of a lost 17th century history text entitled The History of King Richard III by Sir George Buck, which has been approved by the Society of Antiquaries (pictured, the discovery of Richard III’s body in 2012)
His work is much more credible with the support of the Society of Antiquaries’ publishing committee, which seeks to advance understanding of the human past.
The recent revelation is that Sir Buck found “contemporary evidence” describing the King as “good” and “just.”
Historian Mrs. Langley read an excerpt to describe this in detail, which stated: ‘And Richard was regarded as a good and faithful man all his life.
“And was known as a virtuous prince and wise. And his law and government were of the best and spotless.’
Richard III reigned just over two years before his defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth, in Leicestershire, in August 1485.
The defeat marked the end of the reign of the House of York and the beginning of the reign of Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch.
His body was taken to Leicester to show the public that he was really dead, before being given a simple Christian burial by the choir of Gray Friars church.