Richard, Duke of Gloucester, aspires to
become king after his brother Edward IV, despite the fact that there
are more direct heirs to the throne. Relying on his lightning
intellect, his ruthless will, and his great eloquence, he cunningly
sets about to eliniate all obstacles to his achieving the crown.
Having poisoned King Edward's mind against his brother Clarence,
Richard lays the blame on on Queen Elizabeth and her relatives;
then, having assured Clarence that he will secure his release, he
allows the King's order for Clarence's death to remain in effect so
that he is secretly murdered in the Tower. Next, he interrupts the
funeral procession for Henry VI to woo Henry's daughter-in-law, Lady
Anne, who has been made a widow by Richard's own hand. He succeeds
brilliantly and wins her for his wife. Gravely ill, King Edward
hopes to reconcile his wife's family with the older nobility, but
Richard cleverly anticpates the action and convinces the
lords-Buckingham, Hastings and Derby-that it has been the Queen and
her faction who have stireed dissension in the court.
The dying Edward seemingly makes peace among his official family; his death following that of Clarence now leaves the King's two young sons as the main obstacles to Richard's aspiration. Richard and Bucking ham, together with the Queen's relatives, set off for Ludlow to bring gack the Prince to be crowned Edward V. Soon the mourning Queen hears that her supports have been arrested and imprisoned at Pomfret Castle. Fearfully taking her younger son the Duke of York with her, she goes into sanctuary.
When Richard and Buckingham arrive in London, they immediately demand that the Duke of York be brought from sanctuary to provide company for Prince Edward who is to stay in the Tower until his coronation.
