David Bruce

King Edward III David Bruce

This is an easy-to-read retelling of "King Edward III," a history play that may have been written in part by William Shakespeare.- 1.1 -[Scene 1]King Edward III, the Earl of Derby, Edward the Black Prince, Lord Audley, the Earl of Warwick, and the Count of Artois talked together. King Edward III said, "Count Robert of Artois, although you are banished from France, your native country, yet with us you shall retain as great a seigniory, aka domain, for we make you the Earl of Richmond here."Using the royal plural, he added, "Now continue to tell us our pedigree. Who next succeeded Philip le Beau?"Philip le Beau was Philip the Fair, who had ruled as King Philip IV of France. The Count of Artois answered, "Three sons of his, who all successively sat upon their father's regal throne, yet died and left no issue of their loins. None of those three sons left any children.""But was my mother - Isabella - sister to those three men?" King Edward III asked."She was, my lord," the Count of Artois answered, "and Isabella was the only daughter that this Philip had. Your father took Isabella as his wife; and from the fragrant garden of her womb your gracious self, the flower of Europe's hope, was born. Because of this genealogy, you are the inheritor to France."But note the rancor of rebellious minds: When thus the male lineage of Philip le Beau was out, the French obscured your mother's privilege, and although she was the next in blood lineage, the French proclaimed John of the house of Valois their King now: King John II."The reason was this: They say the realm of France, replete with princes of great parentage, ought not to allow a governor to rule France unless he has been descended of the male line, and that's the particular ground of their contempt with which they strive to exclude your grace from the French throne."King Philip III of France fathered King Philip IV of France, who fathered Isabella, who lived the longest of King Philip IV's four children. If females could inherit the throne, she would have inherited it. Isabella married King Edward II of England, and they became the parents of King Edward III of England, and so Edward III of England is directly descended from King Philip III of France through the female line. The French, however, did not recognize kingly succession through the female line. Nevertheless, King Edward III of England regarded himself as the rightful King of France. King Edward III said, "But they shall find that forged ground of theirs consists only of dusty heaps of brittle sand."The Count of Artois said, "Perhaps it will be thought a heinous thing that I, a Frenchman, should say what I have told you, but I call on heaven to witness my vows: It is not hate nor any private wrong, but love for my country and for what is right that provokes my tongue to be thus lavish in report."You are the lineally descended watchman of our peace, and John of Valois - the so-called King John II of France - indirectly has climbed to the throne: His lineal descent from King Philip II is not direct, as is yours."What then should subjects do but embrace their King?"Yes, and wherein may our duty be seen more than in striving to repress a tyrant's pride and to place the true shepherd of our commonwealth on his rightful throne?"King Edward III said, "This counsel, Count of Artois, similar to fruitful showers, has added growth to my dignity; and by the fiery vigor of your words, hot courage is engendered in my breast, which heretofore was racked in ignorance, but now mounts with golden wings of fame and will confirm beautiful Isabella's descent, and will yoke with steel the stubborn necks of those who kick against and resist my sovereignty in France."