Richard and chivalry

I was hoping to find some information about the book on chivalry that Caxton dedicated to Richard III to get some idea of how chivalry tied in with Richard's (favorable) treatment of the common man when I came across this:

"With the death of Edward IV in April 1483, the murder of Edward's two sons in the Tower of London and the fall of the Woodville family, Caxton had lost his powerful friends at court. He appears to have remained loyal to Elizabeth Woodville after Edward's death while she lived in refuge in Westminster Abbey. About April 1484 he dedicated to Richard III his translation of the Ordre of Chyvalry or Knyghthode."

http://www.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/patrons.html

Right. Richard murders his nephews and Caxton remains loyal to Elizabeth Woodville, but he dedicates a book on chivalry to the murdering usurper. Does that make any sense at all? I thought not.

I think that the dedication itself and the date (1484, after the boys' disappearance) are both relevant to Caxton's real view of Richard (whom he must have known personally from Richard's two exiles in Burgundy and his connection with Margaret of York):

"'And thus this little book I present to my redoubted natural and most dread sovereign lord, King Richard of England and of France, to the end that he command this book to be had and read unto other young lords, knights and gentlemen within this realm, that the noble Order of Chivalry be hereafter better used and honoured than it hath been in late days passed. And herein he shall do a noble and virtuous deed. And I shall pray Almighty God for his long life and prosperous welfare and that he may have victory of all his enemies, and after this short and transitory life to have everlasting life in heaven whereas is joy and bliss, world without end. Amen."

http://www.r3.org/rnt1991/royaltree.html

You don't dedicate a book on chivalry, believing it to be a noble and virtuous practice, to a king whom you believe has murdered his nephews, not to mention wish that king a long and prosperous life and victory over his enemies. Of course, the article on Caxton didn't quote this passage because it didn't fit his preconceived views!

By the way, has anyone read Caxton's book, which probably presents *Richard's* view of chivalry as well as Caxton's? I'm pretty sure that Richard would have seen chivalry as a noble ideal rather than as a system for benefiting the lords at the expense of the common people.

Carol

The Book, I believe, was Raymon Lull's.

Judy 

 
Loyaulte me lie


________________________________
From: justcarol67 <justcarol67@...>
To:
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2012 10:54 PM
Subject: Richard and chivalry


 
I was hoping to find some information about the book on chivalry that Caxton dedicated to Richard III to get some idea of how chivalry tied in with Richard's (favorable) treatment of the common man when I came across this:

"With the death of Edward IV in April 1483, the murder of Edward's two sons in the Tower of London and the fall of the Woodville family, Caxton had lost his powerful friends at court. He appears to have remained loyal to Elizabeth Woodville after Edward's death while she lived in refuge in Westminster Abbey. About April 1484 he dedicated to Richard III his translation of the Ordre of Chyvalry or Knyghthode."

http://www.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/patrons.html

Right. Richard murders his nephews and Caxton remains loyal to Elizabeth Woodville, but he dedicates a book on chivalry to the murdering usurper. Does that make any sense at all? I thought not.

I think that the dedication itself and the date (1484, after the boys' disappearance) are both relevant to Caxton's real view of Richard (whom he must have known personally from Richard's two exiles in Burgundy and his connection with Margaret of York):

"'And thus this little book I present to my redoubted natural and most dread sovereign lord, King Richard of England and of France, to the end that he command this book to be had and read unto other young lords, knights and gentlemen within this realm, that the noble Order of Chivalry be hereafter better used and honoured than it hath been in late days passed. And herein he shall do a noble and virtuous deed. And I shall pray Almighty God for his long life and prosperous welfare and that he may have victory of all his enemies, and after this short and transitory life to have everlasting life in heaven whereas is joy and bliss, world without end. Amen."

http://www.r3.org/rnt1991/royaltree.html

You don't dedicate a book on chivalry, believing it to be a noble and virtuous practice, to a king whom you believe has murdered his nephews, not to mention wish that king a long and prosperous life and victory over his enemies. Of course, the article on Caxton didn't quote this passage because it didn't fit his preconceived views!

By the way, has anyone read Caxton's book, which probably presents *Richard's* view of chivalry as well as Caxton's? I'm pretty sure that Richard would have seen chivalry as a noble ideal rather than as a system for benefiting the lords at the expense of the common people.

Carol

The words about the "murder" of Edward's sons as for certain makes the rest of the assertion equally open to question. In his dedication, Caxton exhorts the King to hold one or more tournaments per year, that the Chivalry Richard espouses be more encouraged among young men.

Judy
 
Loyaulte me lie


________________________________
From: justcarol67 <justcarol67@...>
To:
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2012 10:54 PM
Subject: Richard and chivalry


 
I was hoping to find some information about the book on chivalry that Caxton dedicated to Richard III to get some idea of how chivalry tied in with Richard's (favorable) treatment of the common man when I came across this:

"With the death of Edward IV in April 1483, the murder of Edward's two sons in the Tower of London and the fall of the Woodville family, Caxton had lost his powerful friends at court. He appears to have remained loyal to Elizabeth Woodville after Edward's death while she lived in refuge in Westminster Abbey. About April 1484 he dedicated to Richard III his translation of the Ordre of Chyvalry or Knyghthode."

http://www.bl.uk/treasures/caxton/patrons.html

Right. Richard murders his nephews and Caxton remains loyal to Elizabeth Woodville, but he dedicates a book on chivalry to the murdering usurper. Does that make any sense at all? I thought not.

I think that the dedication itself and the date (1484, after the boys' disappearance) are both relevant to Caxton's real view of Richard (whom he must have known personally from Richard's two exiles in Burgundy and his connection with Margaret of York):

"'And thus this little book I present to my redoubted natural and most dread sovereign lord, King Richard of England and of France, to the end that he command this book to be had and read unto other young lords, knights and gentlemen within this realm, that the noble Order of Chivalry be hereafter better used and honoured than it hath been in late days passed. And herein he shall do a noble and virtuous deed. And I shall pray Almighty God for his long life and prosperous welfare and that he may have victory of all his enemies, and after this short and transitory life to have everlasting life in heaven whereas is joy and bliss, world without end. Amen."

http://www.r3.org/rnt1991/royaltree.html

You don't dedicate a book on chivalry, believing it to be a noble and virtuous practice, to a king whom you believe has murdered his nephews, not to mention wish that king a long and prosperous life and victory over his enemies. Of course, the article on Caxton didn't quote this passage because it didn't fit his preconceived views!

By the way, has anyone read Caxton's book, which probably presents *Richard's* view of chivalry as well as Caxton's? I'm pretty sure that Richard would have seen chivalry as a noble ideal rather than as a system for benefiting the lords at the expense of the common people.

Carol