George Buck
Encyclopedia
Sir George Buck (1560–1622) was an antiquarian
who served as Master of the Revels
to King James I of England
.
George Buck was educated at the Middle Temple
, and served on the successful Cádiz expedition of 1596
under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
. He had some connection with the powerful William Cecil, Lord Burghley
.
for the reversion of the office of the Master of the Revels
, then held by Buck's relation Sir Edmund Tilney ("reversion" meaning that the candidate would obtain the office when the present office-holder vacated it — usually by death). Many sources, depending on the Dictionary of National Biography
, identify Tilney and Buck as uncle and nephew, but their true familial relationship seems to have been more distant.
Lyly was vocal in his distress at facing competition for an office he thought he'd been promised; his letters of protest and supplication to Queen Elizabeth
and to Cecil are still extant. Heartfelt thought they may have been, Lyly's complaints had no effect. Sometime in this period, Buck also obtained the office of Esquire of the Body (likely an honorary distinction for him); it was an office he held when Elizabeth died in 1603.
dynasty in 1603, Buck was knighted (on 23 July) and formally received the reversion to the office of Master of the Revels with an appointment as Deputy Master, by a royal patent (on 23 June). He worked as Tilney's assistant until his predecessor's death in 1610, when Buck assumed the office. Unfortunately for posterity's knowledge of English Renaissance theatre
, neither Tilney nor Buck kept the detailed records that would be produced by their successor, Sir Henry Herbert. Buck did record that he consulted Shakespeare about the authorship of one old anonymous play, George a Greene. Shakespeare could only remember that it was written by a clergyman.
The Master of the Revels was responsible for supervising and censoring the plays performed in the public theatres, and for arranging performances of those plays at Court. (Curiously, he had relatively little to do with the sumptuous performances of masque
s that were such noteworthy features of the Stuart court.) Scholars have disagreed about Buck's role during the years he was Tilney's assistant, 1603–10. It has been argued that Buck had no role in censoring plays prior to 1610. Yet starting in 1606, Buck licensed plays for publication, a function that had not previously been the responsibility of the Master's office. George Chapman
's The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron
(1608) was censored when it appeared on the stage, and caused a scandal when the players violated that censorship; Buck has been associated with the scandal, and it is certainly true that Buck licensed the publication of the censored text later in that year.
Once he assumed the full office in 1610, Buck clearly was the primary censor for public drama. The extant manuscript for The Second Maiden's Tragedy
(1611) shows censorship notes in Buck's hand, as do a few other surviving manuscripts from the era, like that of Sir John van Olden Barnavelt
(1619).
. His major work, his History of the Life and Reign of Richard III, would not be published until 1646.
As an antiquary, Buck was noted for his discovery of the copy of the act of Parliament, Titulus Regius
, which brought Richard III
to the throne. He found it in the Croyland Chronicle
, one of the sources for his History of King Richard III. (Sir George was a descendant of Sir John Buck, an adherent of Richard III who had been executed following the Battle of Bosworth Field
.)
Buck also claimed to have seen a letter written by Elizabeth of York
to John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
, shortly before the death of Queen Anne Neville
, in which Elizabeth declared her love for Richard III and her hope of becoming his wife. In Buck's words, the letter asks Norfolk "to be a mediator for her to the King, in behalf of the marriage propounded between them", who, as she wrote, was her "onely joy and maker in this world", and that she was his in heart and thought: "withall insinuating that the better part of February was past, and that she feared the Queen would never die." The letter, if it ever existed, is now lost.
Buck fell from favour, was overwhelmed by debt, and died insane.
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
who served as Master of the Revels
Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was a position within the English, and later the British, royal household heading the "Revels Office" or "Office of the Revels" that originally had responsibilities for overseeing royal festivities, known as revels, and later also became responsible for stage censorship,...
to King James I of England
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
George Buck was educated at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, and served on the successful Cádiz expedition of 1596
Capture of Cadiz
The Capture of Cádiz in 1596 was an event during the Anglo-Spanish War, when English and Dutch troops under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and a large Anglo-Dutch fleet under Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, with support from the Dutch United Provinces, raided the Spanish city of...
under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
. He had some connection with the powerful William Cecil, Lord Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
.
Competition for position
In the mid-to-late 1590s Buck was in competition with playwright John LylyJohn Lyly
John Lyly was an English writer, best known for his books Euphues,The Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and His England. Lyly's linguistic style, originating in his first books, is known as Euphuism.-Biography:John Lyly was born in Kent, England, in 1553/1554...
for the reversion of the office of the Master of the Revels
Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was a position within the English, and later the British, royal household heading the "Revels Office" or "Office of the Revels" that originally had responsibilities for overseeing royal festivities, known as revels, and later also became responsible for stage censorship,...
, then held by Buck's relation Sir Edmund Tilney ("reversion" meaning that the candidate would obtain the office when the present office-holder vacated it — usually by death). Many sources, depending on the Dictionary of National Biography
Dictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
, identify Tilney and Buck as uncle and nephew, but their true familial relationship seems to have been more distant.
Lyly was vocal in his distress at facing competition for an office he thought he'd been promised; his letters of protest and supplication to Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and to Cecil are still extant. Heartfelt thought they may have been, Lyly's complaints had no effect. Sometime in this period, Buck also obtained the office of Esquire of the Body (likely an honorary distinction for him); it was an office he held when Elizabeth died in 1603.
Master of the Revels
Upon the start of the new StuartHouse of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
dynasty in 1603, Buck was knighted (on 23 July) and formally received the reversion to the office of Master of the Revels with an appointment as Deputy Master, by a royal patent (on 23 June). He worked as Tilney's assistant until his predecessor's death in 1610, when Buck assumed the office. Unfortunately for posterity's knowledge of English Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre, also known as early modern English theatre, refers to the theatre of England, largely based in London, which occurred between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642...
, neither Tilney nor Buck kept the detailed records that would be produced by their successor, Sir Henry Herbert. Buck did record that he consulted Shakespeare about the authorship of one old anonymous play, George a Greene. Shakespeare could only remember that it was written by a clergyman.
The Master of the Revels was responsible for supervising and censoring the plays performed in the public theatres, and for arranging performances of those plays at Court. (Curiously, he had relatively little to do with the sumptuous performances of masque
Masque
The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio...
s that were such noteworthy features of the Stuart court.) Scholars have disagreed about Buck's role during the years he was Tilney's assistant, 1603–10. It has been argued that Buck had no role in censoring plays prior to 1610. Yet starting in 1606, Buck licensed plays for publication, a function that had not previously been the responsibility of the Master's office. George Chapman
George Chapman
George Chapman was an English dramatist, translator, and poet. He was a classical scholar, and his work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been identified as the Rival Poet of Shakespeare's Sonnets by William Minto, and as an anticipator of the Metaphysical Poets...
's The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron
The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron
The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron, Marshall of France is a Jacobean tragedy by George Chapman, a two-part play or double play first performed and published in 1608...
(1608) was censored when it appeared on the stage, and caused a scandal when the players violated that censorship; Buck has been associated with the scandal, and it is certainly true that Buck licensed the publication of the censored text later in that year.
Once he assumed the full office in 1610, Buck clearly was the primary censor for public drama. The extant manuscript for The Second Maiden's Tragedy
The Second Maiden's Tragedy
The Second Maiden's Tragedy is a Jacobean play that survives only in manuscript. It was written in 1611, and performed in the same year by the King's Men. The manuscript that survives is the copy that was sent to the censor, and therefore includes his notes and deletions...
(1611) shows censorship notes in Buck's hand, as do a few other surviving manuscripts from the era, like that of Sir John van Olden Barnavelt
Sir John van Olden Barnavelt
The Tragedy of Sir John van Olden Barnavelt was a Jacobean play written by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger in 1619, and produced in the same year by the King's Men at the Globe Theatre...
(1619).
Scholarly work
Buck was also a minor poet and prose writer. He published "A Discourse or Treatise of the third universitie of England" (1615), an account of the Inns of CourtInns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
. His major work, his History of the Life and Reign of Richard III, would not be published until 1646.
As an antiquary, Buck was noted for his discovery of the copy of the act of Parliament, Titulus Regius
Titulus Regius
Titulus Regius is a statute of the Parliament of England, issued in 1484, by which the title of King of England was given to Richard III of England....
, which brought Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
to the throne. He found it in the Croyland Chronicle
Croyland Chronicle
The Croyland Chronicle is an important, if not always reliable, primary source for English medieval history, in particular the late fifteenth century. It was written at the Benedictine Abbey of Croyland, in Lincolnshire, England, off and on from 655 to 1486, and its first author claimed to be...
, one of the sources for his History of King Richard III. (Sir George was a descendant of Sir John Buck, an adherent of Richard III who had been executed following the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
.)
Buck also claimed to have seen a letter written by Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England as spouse of King Henry VII from 1486 until 1503, and mother of King Henry VIII of England....
to John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman, soldier, and the first Howard Duke of Norfolk...
, shortly before the death of Queen Anne Neville
Anne Neville
Lady Anne Neville was Princess of Wales as the wife of Edward of Westminster and Queen of England as the consort of King Richard III. She held the latter title for less than two years, from 26 June 1483 until her death in March 1485...
, in which Elizabeth declared her love for Richard III and her hope of becoming his wife. In Buck's words, the letter asks Norfolk "to be a mediator for her to the King, in behalf of the marriage propounded between them", who, as she wrote, was her "onely joy and maker in this world", and that she was his in heart and thought: "withall insinuating that the better part of February was past, and that she feared the Queen would never die." The letter, if it ever existed, is now lost.
Buck fell from favour, was overwhelmed by debt, and died insane.