Richardus Tertius
Encyclopedia
Richardus Tertius is a play written in Latin
about King Richard III
by Thomas Legge
. The play was acted by St. John's College, Cambridge in 1580
. It was possibly seen by two of the University Wits
in Cambridge
at the time: Christopher Marlowe
and Robert Greene
.
The play was never printed in its historical era (in fact, not until 1844); but it survives in nine manuscripts, and is thought to have been well known in its time. Scholars have studied the relationships between Richardus Tertius and the later plays about Richard III, the anonymous play The True Tragedy of Richard III
(printed 1594
) and Shakespeare's Richard III
. In one view, the unknown author of The True Tragedy used Legge's play occasionally as a source, but Shakespeare did not.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
about King 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...
by Thomas Legge
Thomas Legge
Thomas Legge was an English playwright, prominently known for his play Richardus Tertius, which is considered to be the first history play written in England.-Biography:...
. The play was acted by St. John's College, Cambridge in 1580
1580 in literature
-Events:*Thomas Legge's Latin play about Richard III, Richardus Tertius, is acted by students at St John's College, Cambridge during March.-New books:*Book of Concord*Jean Bodin - De la demonomanie des sorciers*John Lyly - Euphues and his England...
. It was possibly seen by two of the University Wits
University Wits
The University Wits were a group of late 16th century English playwrights who were educated at the universities and who became playwrights and popular secular writers...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
at the time: Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. As the foremost Elizabethan tragedian, next to William Shakespeare, he is known for his blank verse, his overreaching protagonists, and his mysterious death.A warrant was issued for Marlowe's arrest on 18 May...
and Robert Greene
Robert Greene (16th century)
Robert Greene was an English author best known for a posthumous pamphlet attributed to him, Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit, widely believed to contain a polemic attack on William Shakespeare. He was born in Norwich and attended Cambridge University, receiving a B.A. in 1580, and an M.A...
.
The play was never printed in its historical era (in fact, not until 1844); but it survives in nine manuscripts, and is thought to have been well known in its time. Scholars have studied the relationships between Richardus Tertius and the later plays about Richard III, the anonymous play The True Tragedy of Richard III
The True Tragedy of Richard III
The True Tragedy of Richard III is an anonymous Elizabethan history play on the subject of Richard III of England. It has attracted the attention of scholars of English Renaissance drama principally for the question of its relationship with Shakespeare's Richard III.The True Tragedy of Richard III...
(printed 1594
1594 in literature
-Events:*The London theatres re-open in the spring, after two years of general inactivity due to the bubonic plague epidemic of 1592–94. Many of the actors who used to be Lord Strange's Men form a new organization, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, under the patronage of Henry Carey, 1st Baron...
) and Shakespeare's Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
. In one view, the unknown author of The True Tragedy used Legge's play occasionally as a source, but Shakespeare did not.