Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle
THE DEATH OF ROBERT, EARL OF HUNTINGTON, or
2 ROBIN HOOD
Henslowe paid for this play between 20 February—8 March 1598
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
ABBESS
The Abbess of Dunmow, the nunnery Matilda joins, at first defends Matilda's chastity and the sanctity of the nunnery. However, between the persuasion of the Monk, with whom she is in love, and the promise of one hundred marks a year for the Abbey, the Abbess attempts to convince Matilda that she should submit to John. When she is unsuccessful, she becomes fearful that Matilda will expose her, and so leaves her to Brand.
ARTHUR
A "ghost character." Historically, Arthur was the nephew of Richard I— son to his brother Geoffrey—and believed by some to be Richard's chosen heir. He died under mysterious circumstances. He appears in the dumb show and is mentioned several times to show the way both John and Hubert treat children.
BONVILLE
Bonville enters and addresses John briefly after John awakes from a dream about Matilda. He is listed in the mass entrance for the next scene, but does not speak and within fifty lines has apparently been replaced by Hubert (who has no entrance marked). Bonville does not appear again.
BRAND, WILL
Will Brand is John's henchman. He is first ordered to take care of Lady Bruce and her son by removing them from the custody of Walter Blunt and locking them away without food. He does this, lying to Lady Bruce in order to get her to agree. Later it is revealed that John had a change of heart and told Brand to take them food, which Brand promised to do, but did not. His next task is to poison Matilda if she will not submit to John. She, of course, refuses, and Brand tells her that he will now poison her. Rather than fearing death, Matilda welcomes it, and thanks both John and Brand for allowing her to die of poison as Robin did. Her courage and forgiveness terrify Brand and he runs from the room and attempts to hang himself high in a tree. The branch gives and he falls to his death.
BRUCE
Confusingly, this is an alternate name for Old Bruce until he dies on the field of battle, at which point it becomes an alternate name for Young Bruce. (For complete character notes see under "OLD BRUCE" and "YOUNG BRUCE").
CHESTER
Chester enters with King Richard during the hunt and claims that he has killed two bucks. When Doncaster is brought in by the poisoned Robin, it is Chester who reveals that he beat and raped a nun, the daughter of Sir Eustace Stutville, and explains how Doncaster escaped his imprisonment. After Robin's death, Chester requests that Tuck not end the play, but instead tell the story of Matilda. He may also be the one who, with Tuck, explains the events between Robin's death and early events of John's reign (see note under "CHO"). He enters with John at Fitzwater's banquet and insults Leicester and Richmond for turning against their king, and then leaves with John. When John arrives at Guildford, he asks Chester and Hubert to stand guard (although the stage direction has Winchester as the guard in the next scene, it is Chester who is named in the speech-headings). Although he is with John during the battle against Fitzwater, Leicester and Richmond, he does not speak, and he has only one individual line in the final scene, when he questions Blunt about the relationship between Lady Bruce and her son. His rapidly diminishing role suggests that he was seen by the authors as a holdover from the previous play rather than integral to this one.
CHO
This ambiguous speech-heading is attached three speeches during the shift from act one, which finishes the story of Robin Hood, to the rest of the play, which concerns John and Matilda. The speaker, along with Tuck, cover the events from the death of Robin Hood to the first rebellion against John. It is likely that "Cho" is short for "Chorus." However, there is another probable explanation. Just before the appearance of "Cho," Chester enters to Tuck, and asks that the play not end so quickly. Tuck agrees and then tells Chester to remove his Kendal green, since Matilda's story is a tragic one. There is no exit for Chester, but the next stage direction reads "enter in black" suggesting that the actor who plays Chester exits briefly to change clothes. It is thus possible that "Cho" is a misreading for "Che" and that the lines are part of Chester's character.
DONCASTER
Doncaster, along with the Prior, conspires to poison Robin Hood. He is a purely evil character, giving as his reason for killing Robin simply that he is well loved and virtuous. He and the Prior attempt to persuade Warman to join them, but when he refuses to betray Robin, Doncaster stabs him. The Prior then convinces Robin that Warman committed suicide. When Doncaster is taken, after Robin is poisoned, it is revealed that he beat and raped a nun, the daughter of Sir Eustace Stutville, and was imprisoned. However, when he escaped, he was forgiven by Henry II. Doncaster freely admits that he has defiled a thousand and killed many. Salisbury then accuses him of killing his infant son and raping the baby's nurse, which Doncaster admits to. Doncaster is ritually cursed by Ely and then King Richard orders him hung in chains until he dies.
ELY
The Bishop of Ely is a remnant of the first play and only appears in the scenes concerning Robin Hood. He tells of taking two bucks in the hunt with King Richard. When the Prior is revealed as one of the poisoners of Robin Hood, Richard asks Ely if there is church law that will allow the Prior to be executed. Ely states that he must be tried as a churchman and punished by the church's censure, but the Prior contradicts him and states that in cases of murder and treason a priest can be treated as secular. Ely ritually curses Doncaster when he refuses to repent.
EUSTACE STATVILLE'S DAUGHTER
A "ghost character." Eustace Statville's daughter, a nun, was beaten and raped by Doncaster. She appealed to Richard and Doncaster was imprisoned, but escaped. The story of her abuse is told by Chester after Doncaster poisons Robin.
FITZWATER
Fitzwater enters with King Richard, claiming three stags in the hunt. When Richard's stag is finally brought down and found to have a collar around its neck, Fitzwater describes the legend of Harold Harefoot running down a stag and putting the collar on it. He mourns with Matilda when Robin is poisoned, and helps her with Robin's final request, that she close his eyes. When he next enters, he is scolding Matilda for still mourning Robin and urges her to consider the suit of Lord Wigmore's son. When she resists dancing with the masquers, he demands that she join in. It is revealed that John is Matilda's partner, and Fitzwater is then forced to defend his recent revolt against John. John demands Matilda as a pledge of loyalty and although Fitzwater swears his children are willing to die for their king, he refuses to allow her chastity to be compromised. After John storms out, Fitzwater realizes that there will be another civil dispute and, with Leicester, plans to raise an army. It is part of that army that he gives to Young Bruce to free his mother and brother from Windsor castle, promising that Blunt is likely to surrender the castle to him. When the battle goes against the rebels, Fitzwater refuses to surrender unless Matilda is returned unhurt; when Hubert reveals that he has escorted her safely to Dunmow Abbey, Fitzwater relents and submits to John. John immediately banishes him to France. Fitzwater asks only that he be allowed to see Matilda before he leaves. He advises her to continue to resist John and live chastely, and then departs for France.
GEORGE
A boy and non-speaking character. The youngest son of Lady Bruce, identified only in the last scene as George, is requested by John as a pledge of Bruce's loyalty. Lady Bruce does not believe John and hides the boy. She claims that she has sent him away, but when John threatens to burn the castle, she reveals that he is inside. John sends them to London to the custody of Sir Walter Blunt, and later sends Brand to lock them up without food or water. He does so, and they both die of starvation, but only after Lady Bruce has tried to feed her own blood to her son and her son has refused.
HAREFOOT, HAROLD
A "ghost character." King Richard, out hunting with Robin Hood's men, sends Little John to find Robin and Scarlet to help him catch a deer. It is discovered that the deer had a ring around its neck, put there (apparently) by Harold Harefoot.
HENRY II
A "ghost character." When Doncaster is taken, after Robin is poisoned, it is revealed that he beat and raped a nun, the daughter of Sir Eustace Stutville, and was imprisoned. However, when he escaped, he was forgiven by Henry II.
HUBERT
Hubert first appears defending Salisbury to John and condemning love poetry, but quickly emerges as John's main noble supporter. He is sent by John to follow Salisbury and Queen Isabel to Guildford, to take the castle while pretending he is simply there to protect the Queen. Hubert's reaction to this command is to promise to do whatever John wishes. When he arrives at the castle, he defends John's decision to Salisbury and the Queen. He is accused by Lady Bruce of being Arthur's fatal keeper, but Salisbury defends Hubert against that charge. When John arrives and finds that Lady's Bruce's son is missing, he sets Hubert, with Chester, to guard the castle, and they are there when Bruce arrives. Hubert is present when Brand is ordered to starve Lady Bruce and her son, but his aside makes clear that, although he suspects something terrible, he has not heard the actual commands. In the second battle, Hubert takes Matilda and tells her she must be given over to John. Matilda begs for mercy and reminds him that he disobeyed John when the latter ordered him to sear Arthur's eyes. Hubert is moved and calls a soldier to escort her to Dunmow Abbey to join the nuns. When John's forces overcome the rebels, it is Hubert who asks for their surrender, and tells Fitzwater that his daughter is safe in the abbey. When the Abbess claims that no man enters the abbey, Hubert tells John that a Monk comes once a week, and this gives John the idea of using the Monk as a go-between. After hearing this plan, and John's command to Brand to poison Matilda if she will not yield, Hubert explains in a lengthy soliloquy why he continues to follow John, claiming that subjects cannot overthrow their rulers, no matter how bad. Although he is present in the final scene, and is ordered by John to bring in white candles for Matilda's bier, he does not speak.
HUGH LE BRUN
A "ghost character." Hugh le Brun was engaged to Isabel before she married John, and is a background threat of rebellion during the play.
JENNY
Jenny is first mentioned by Much, who asks for King Richard's help in securing a living so that he can marry her. Jenny herself helps Marian prepare for dinner while the men are hunting. Marian scolds her for her untidy dress and sends her off to tidy herself before the king arrives.
JOHN
John is identified by his first name while Richard is still king, and as "King" thereafter. He is hunting with Richard at the opening of the play and, unlike Doncaster and the Prior, is truly reconciled with Robin Hood and his brother. When Robin is dying, he asks John to give up his lust for Matilda and instead love her respectfully and chastely. John swears that he will and hopes that if he lusts after Matilda, he shall also die by poison. In a sort of entr'acte, John is seen in a dumb show, as Tuck narrates his refusal to go to war in Austria, the attempt to put Arthur on the throne and an attempted rebellion by Hugh le Brun and the French King. All of this is shown while John is asleep, with Tuck suggesting that he was successful more by luck than by skill. John then awakes from a dream of Matilda and the rest of the play begins. He is immediately dreaming of Matilda, and feels insulted when Salisbury reminds him of his own, beautiful wife. His praise of Matilda is misinterpreted by Salisbury as praise of Isabel, and he rushes off to bring the Queen in for a reconciliation. John allows the mistake to stand, and asks the Queen to travel to Guildford and convince Lady Bruce to give up her sons (in later scenes, only one son) to him as pledge of loyalty. When she agrees, he orders Hubert to follow and take the castle while pretending to be protecting the Queen. John then plots with Mowbray to attend a feast at Fitzwater's, and woo Matilda in disguise, which he does. Matilda rejects him while he is disguised, and even more so after he is revealed. John then turns on Fitzwater, Leicester, Richmond and Bruce, accusing them of plotting against him, and threatens Bruce specifically. John then travels to Guildford and asks the Queen and Salisbury to go arrest Matilda. When Lady Bruce will not say where her son is, John orders Mowbray to burn down the castle, and Lady Bruce is forced to reveal her son. John sends them to Windsor. When John discovers that Old Bruce has rescued Matilda, he sends Brand to Windsor to lock up Lady Bruce and her son, and starve them to death. His passion over Matilda's injuries is such that Salisbury realizes the Queen is right, and John is still in love with her. John wins the battle, but Matilda has been taken to Dunmow Abbey. He tries to speak to her, but when he is not allowed entry, he bribes the Monk to try to win Matilda over. He also commands Brand to poison Matilda if she will not submit, which is of course what happens. John arrives at Windsor to find that most of the nobles have turned against him for his treatment of Lady Bruce and her son, now both dead of starvation. He defends himself, claiming he had second thoughts and ordered Brand to give them food. Blunt supports his story. Matilda's body is brought in, and John mourns over it and through his grief a rebellion that would have sought to put the French Dauphin on the throne is avoided. John swears to be a better king and man in the future.
LADY BRUCE
Lady Bruce is the wife of Bruce and the mother of Young Bruce. She is at Guildford Castle, and John sends Hubert there to take both the castle and Lady Bruce's youngest son as a pledge of her husband's faith. Lady Bruce does not trust either John or Hubert and claims that she has sent her son away. When John threatens to burn the castle down, she begs to be allowed to rescue some linens and clothes. John calls these things trash and commands the fire to be set, but stops when Lady Bruce describes a rich jewel she wishes to rescue. It turns out to be her son, George, whom she had hidden. They are sent to Windsor Castle and put in charge of Sir Walter Blunt. However, John shortly decides to have Brand go to Windsor Castle and shut up Lady Bruce and her son without food. Lady Bruce is at first suspicious of Brand when he arrives, and begs to be allowed to feed her son before being locked up, but eventually has no choice but to submit. Young Bruce takes the castle, but too late; he finds his mother and brother dead from starvation, and describes to the king how he found her with her arm ripped open, attempting to feed her son with her own blood.
LEICESTER
Although Leicester is part of the mass entrance after the hunt, he does not speak, and is not present for Robin Hood's death. He first appears in a speaking role when he comes to visit Fitzwater and Matilda as a proxy wooer for William Wigmore. While there, he, along with Fitzwater, Bruce and Richmond, is accused by John of plotting treason. Leicester makes no secret of his dislike of John, and after John leaves he goes with Fitzwater to raise an army. In the first battle, Leicester finds Queen Isabel and Matilda. When he asks who has harmed Matilda, she lies and says it was soldiers, sparing the Queen shame. Leicester then commands soldiers to return the Queen to John's side in safety. After the second battle, when John has won, the king offers the rebels life and liberty, and Leicester, with the others, agrees to be loyal to John again. However, when the deaths of Lady Bruce and her son, and then Matilda, are revealed, Leicester suggests to Young Bruce that they put Louis the Dauphin on the throne. He is persuaded away from this course with some difficulty by Hubert and Oxford, and again swears loyalty to John.
LITTLE JOHN
Little John is the servant and close friend of Robin Hood. He is hunting with Robin and King Richard and is sent by Richard to seek Scarlet and Tuck so they may help track a deer Richard has been unable to kill. He is not present for Robin's death, but presumably goes with Richard on crusade, as Richard promises that all Robin's men shall go with him.
LOUIS THE DAUPHIN
A "ghost character." When the deaths of Lady Bruce and her son, and then Matilda, are revealed, Leicester suggests to Young Bruce that they put Louis the Dauphin of France on the throne.
MARIAN
Marian is the name of Matilda, daughter of Fitzwater, when she is in the forest with Robin. Her name abruptly shifts back to Matilda during Robin's death scene, when King Richard gives her, in her own right, Robin's lands and title. (For a complete character listing, see "MATILDA").
MATILDA
Matilda is the daughter of Fitzwater and, although chaste, the wife of Robin Hood. She is known as Marian while they are still in the forest, but her name shifts back to Matilda during Robin's death scene. She is first seen preparing dinner for Robin, King Richard, and their followers, and scolding Jenny for her lack of neatness. When Robin is poisoned, she exhibits great grief, and barely has the strength to perform his last wish, which is to close his eyes after his death. She is given all Robin's lands by Richard in her own right, but this seems to matter little, since she continues to mourn for Robin and refuses to remarry. She is wooed, by proxy, by William Wigmore, but despite the urging of her father and the Bruces, she refuses to contemplate marriage again. She even tries to reject dancing in the masque, and has to be ordered by her father to participate. In the first battle of the civil war, Matilda is captured by two soldiers, who drag her by her hair, and then her face is scratched by Queen Isabel, who is jealous of her because John still lusts for her. However, when Matilda is freed and Isabel is captured, Matilda nobly lies to Leicester and states that soldiers scratched her face, and that the Queen protected her. This convinces the Queen that Matilda is innocent of John's lust and she repents her jealousy. In the next battle, Matilda is found by Hubert, but she manages to convince him to take her to Dunmow Abbey to become a nun. She is visited there by her father, who has been banished by John, and he urges her to resist the lures of wealth and privilege and remain chaste. This hardly seems necessary, since it is clear that Matilda intends to remain removed from the world. John attempts to talk to her, but is thwarted by the Abbess. He then bribes the Monk, who is the Abbess' lover, and the Abbess, to have them convince Matilda to submit to him. Their attempts are futile, and Matilda in fact is convinced first that they are testing her and then that they are devils in human form. Brand then informs Matilda that he has been sent to poison her, but instead of fear, Matilda displays gratitude that John would allow her to die as Robin did. She willingly drinks and dies. Her corpse is brought to Windsor, where John mourns her extravagantly, barely noticing that a new attempt to unseat him is barely averted.
MESSENGER
The Messenger enters twice. First to tell Salisbury that Bruce and Young Bruce have joined together to attack John. The second time he enters to tell John that Young Bruce has taken Windsor Castle and is displaying the bodies of Lady Bruce and her son to rouse the people against John.
MONK
The Monk is the secret lover of the Abbess of Dunmow and greatly desires to be an Abbott. John promises to make him abbot and give one hundred marks a year on Dunmow Abbey if the Monk can help persuade Matilda to give in to John. The Monk agrees immediately, and is unshaken by John's threat to have her poisoned if she refuses. He attempts to persuade Matilda by questioning her chastity and suggesting that she does desire John, or at least some sexual relationship, and therefore is not fit to be a nun. When this fails, he plainly tells her she must lie with John and that since it is for charity, it is only a venial sin. When Matilda still refuses, the Monk and the Abbess leave her to Brand and his poisons.
MOWBRAY
Mowbray is loyal to John. He helps him organize the masque that will allow him to visit Matilda secretly, although it is Chester, not Mowbray, who accompanies John. Mowbray does arrive with John at Guildford. When John cannot find Lady Bruce's son, John orders Mowbray to burn the castle down, which he is willing to do, although it turns out not to be necessary. The threat alone is enough to force Lady Bruce to reveal her son. Mowbray arrives after the first battle to warn John that Fitzwater is rallying and they must begin a new fight. Although he is with John when John visits Dunmow Abbey to try to persuade Matilda to submit, he does not speak. In the final scene, he asks questions about the treatment and last days of Lady Bruce and her son, but does not speak for or against the proposed rebellion against John.
MUCH
Much is one of Robin Hood's men. He is hunting with King Richard and tells Richard that Scarlet and Tuck are chasing the deer he could not fell. While they are out, he asks the King for a boon, which is to help him marry Jenny and inherit his father's mill. Richard promises to do so. He offers to help Jenny with the cooking, much to Marian's relief, and when it is discovered that Doncaster and the Prior have plotted against Robin and Richard, Much helps Tuck drag the Prior in before Richard.
MUCH SENIOR
A "ghost character." Much's father, who is also named Much, is mentioned by Much as the owner of the local mill, an inheritance Much is eager to keep in the family.
OLD BRUCE
Old Bruce first appears with Fitzwater, Young Bruce and Matilda during the proxy wooing of Matilda by William Wigmore. Although Old Bruce does not say anything here, it is likely that with the revision removing Young Fitzwater that Old Bruce would, in fact, urge Matilda to marry. When John arrives, he demands the swords of Leicester, Richmond, Fitzwater and Bruce. John specifically accuses Bruce of treason because he will not give up his sons as a pledge of loyalty, and threatens Bruce directly. After he leaves, Bruce fears John will ride to Guildford and take his wife and son hostage. He and Richmond head there immediately with an army. Bruce and Richmond arrive too late and find Chester and Hubert guarding the gates. Bruce asks after his wife and son, and is told that the former is with John and the latter cannot be found. In a battle against John, Old Bruce dies from wounds received on the field.
OXFORD
Oxford, also addressed as de Vere, was apparently a replacement for Salisbury who was not completely integrated into the text. He is addressed in the first scene after John is king, but he has no entrance, and his speech-headings are all for Salisbury. He does not appear again until after Salisbury and Queen Isabel have left the battlefield in disgust at John's continued lust for Matilda. When the Queen next appears, she is accompanied by Oxford, who inhabits the same character as Salisbury had, and Salisbury is now missing from the play. Oxford attempts to comfort the Queen and convince her that John loves her, describing his own infidelity to prove that all men are tempted to stray. When that does not succeed, he points out that Matilda is now a nun, and God will not allow John to have her. They decide to visit Matilda at Dunmow and arrive after she has been poisoned, so they are there for her death. They then bring the body to Windsor. It is mainly Oxford who talks Leicester and the other lords out of rebelling and attempting to install the French Dauphin on the throne. (See also "SALISBURY").
PRIOR
The Prior is Robin's uncle. Despite having been generously forgiven by Robin for his last treachery, the Prior joins with Doncaster, with only momentary pangs of conscience, in a plot to murder Robin. His reasons for wanting to murder Robin are economic; if Robin dies, the Prior will inherit Huntington. He and Doncaster try to persuade Warman to join them, but when he does not, Doncaster kills him. The Prior puts his dagger in Warman's hand to make it appear that Warman committed suicide. They convince Robin of this, and then, to cheer Robin, the Prior offers him an herbal elixir that supposedly heals all mental and physical illnesses, but it is really poison. When Robin asks for a cup for the King, the Prior and Doncaster think that they can thus kill off Richard and blame Robin, but when he drinks first he realizes that it is poison. Robin, while dying, advises the Prior to insist on clerical protection so that he can repent and live a better life, but the Prior confesses, and contradicts Ely when Ely claims they cannot try him in a secular court. He insists that for murder and treason a priest can be punished as a layman, and since he has committed both, he should be put to death. Richard quite willingly agrees.
QUEEN ELINOR
Queen Elinor joins with the others in viewing the ring around the neck of the stag Richard has killed. She is also present when Robin is poisoned and offers a powder she believes will cure him, but Doncaster mocks her, saying nothing can save Robin. When it is revealed that Doncaster raped Sir Eustace Stutville's daughter, the Queen asks Richard to punish Doncaster, since the girl was more pure than any.
QUEEN ISABEL
Queen Isabel was originally engaged to Hugh le Brun, and her marriage to John caused the first rebellion, shown in dumb show. She feels neglected by John because of his continuing love for Matilda, but when Salisbury tells her that John is now praising her, she is pleased and agrees to go to Guildford for him and convince Lady Bruce to give up her son as a pledge. She is surprised by Hubert's arrival, and defends herself against Lady Bruce, who claims she was part of a plot to take the castle. During the first battle between John and the rebel lords, Matilda is captured and given to Queen Isabel, who scratches her face out of jealousy. When the tables are reversed, and Isabel is captured by the rebels, Matilda lies to protect her, claiming that soldiers scratched her and that the Queen actually saved her. Queen Isabel, now convinced of Matilda's innocence, is then returned to her husband. She decides to visit Matilda in Dunmow Abbey and arrives, with Oxford, after Matilda has been poisoned, but before she has died. After Matilda dies, the Queen orders her corpse taken to Windsor in an open bier to demonstrate John's cruelty and lust. She confronts John with Matilda's body, but when Leicester plots a rebellion that would put the Dauphin on the throne, she speaks against it, suggesting that Louis might be worse than John.
RICHARD I
King Richard is out hunting with Robin Hood's men. He is somewhat upset that he had missed killing a deer, and sends Little John to find Robin and Scarlet to help him catch the deer. It is discovered that the deer had a ring around its neck, put there (apparently) by Harold Harefoot. The King then goes with Robin and the others to dinner, where Robin has promised the King a fine drink. However, Robin discovers that the drink is poisoned, and so saves the King. When it is revealed that Doncaster and the Prior have poisoned Robin and attempted to poison the King, he orders them both executed, and gives Matilda all Robin's lands as Countess of Huntington and promises to take his followers on crusade with him. King Richard is then reported dead by Tuck in the interlude that moves the play forward in time.
RICHMOND
Richmond is a friend of Fitzwater. He enters during the proxy wooing of Leicester and is pleased to see Matilda smile. He suggests that she dance with the masquers that have just arrived. It is revealed that John is one of the masquers, and he accuses Richmond, along with Fitzwater, Leicester and Bruce, as traitors. Richmond stands firm and points out that their former rebellion had been forgiven. When John persists, and threatens Bruce specifically, Richmond goes with Bruce to Guildford Castle. They arrive to find the castle held by Hubert and Chester. Richmond at first advises retreat, since they have no men for a fight, but when he sees Chester he does not want to retreat and has to be persuaded away by Bruce. After the second battle, Richmond surrenders and vows loyalty to John again. He is one of those who questions Blunt about the death of Lady Bruce and her son, but he does not speak for or against the proposed rebellion against John.
ROBIN HOOD
Despite the play's title, Robin appears only in the first act. He is part of the hunting party with King Richard, but stops to ask after Doncaster and the Prior, who are still recovering from injury. He urges them to rest, not realizing that they are plotting his death, and also suggests that Warman try to forget his fault and be more merry. When he returns to find Warman dead, he is convinced by the Prior that Warman committed suicide. The Prior offers him a health inducing drink and Robin asks instead that it be prepared for the King. However, he does drink some, and discovers it is poisoned. He drags Doncaster and the Prior before Richard and reveals that they have attempted regicide. True to his nature, he immediately forgives the Prior when the latter shows signs of remorse, even urging him to use benefit of clergy to avoid the death sentence. He asks that Richard take care of Matilda, and Richard responds by granting Matilda Robin's lands and title for herself. Robin then tries to make sure all parties will remain reconciled and that John will respect Matilda rather than lust after her. He arranges his funeral, distributes his gold among his followers and then asks that Matilda close his eyes. He then dies.
SALISBURY
Salisbury is with King Richard during the opening hunt and claims three bucks. When Doncaster is dragged in after poisoning Robin, Salisbury reveals that he knew of Doncaster and would have saved Robin since he knew Doncaster was a monster. He accuses Doncaster of killing his infant son and two maids, and raping the child's nurse, all of which Doncaster freely admits. Salisbury's character after the death of Robin becomes murky; it appears that the playwrights planned to replace Salisbury with Oxford, but the revisions to the earlier scenes with John were not completed. Salisbury is noted as entering with John in the first scene after Robin's death, but he is addressed as Old de Vere/Oxford. His role as a supporter of Queen Isabel is also later taken over by Oxford and Salisbury disappears after the first battle between John and the rebels. While he remains Salisbury, he functions to support Queen Isabel and to try to reconcile John to his marriage to her. He mistakes John's words of praise for Matilda for praise of the Queen, and hurries to tell her that John has changed his tone. John takes advantage of this and asks Isabel and Salisbury to go to Guildford and visit Lady Bruce, using their visit as a way to slip Hubert in to take the Lady and her son hostage. When this happens, Salisbury is appalled at being tricked, but remains loyal and goes with Isabel to arrest Matilda. When Matilda is taken and physically abused by the Queen, Salisbury defends her. When John finds out that Matilda was hurt, he is furious and thus reveals that he is still in love with her. Salisbury, disgusted, asks to leave the camp, and John tells him to take Isabel and leave. This is his last appearance, when Isabel returns, Oxford takes over his part with no real change in the character. (See also "OXFORD").
SCARLET
Although Scarlet appears in two scenes, he speaks only once, in concert with his brother. He is mentioned by Robin as the one who finally brings down the deer King Richard has been chasing, and he and his brother are rewarded by Richard with twelvepence a day if they promise to live as honest men. The brothers promise to be honest.
SCATHLOCK
Scathlock hunts with King Richard, providing information such as the whereabouts of Much. With his brother, he is granted twelvepence a day by Richard if they promise to as honestly, which they do.
TUCK, FRIAR
Friar Tuck appears first as a sort of chorus, reminding the audience of the events at the end of The Downfall of Robert, Earl of Huntington. He then enters into the hunt, helping to track the deer that Richard could not bring down. After the hunt, he jokingly demands a forfeit of Richard when the latter address Robin as "Earl Robert" and the King gives him a full purse. After Robin is poisoned, the Friar, with Much, helps drag the Prior before Richard. With Robin's passing and the clearing of the stage, Friar Tuck steps forward to announce the end of the play, but Chester enters and asks the play to continue with Matilda's tragedy. Tuck agrees, and again acts as a chorus, filling in the events, with the aid of dumb show, between Robin's death: Richard I's death and the various early threats during John's reign.
WALTER BLUNT
A possible "ghost character." Walter Blunt is the keeper of Lady Bruce and her son at Windsor Castle and is mentioned several times by John. There is some confusion; a messenger reports that Young Bruce has slain Blunt when he takes the castle, but in a later scene, a William Blunt appears to clear John of deliberately starving Lady Bruce and her son, saying that Brand did bring food with him, but locked it away and would not allow the Bruces to have any. It seems likely that the playwrights' final intention was to have a single constable who was not killed.
WARMAN
Warman is Robin Hood's steward. He enters with Robin Hood and is told by him to shun solitary walks and become more cheerful. Unlike the Prior and Doncaster, he is truly repentant for his treachery against Robin Hood. When the two plotters ask him to join them in their plot to kill Robin, Warman is appalled and declares at length his loyalty to Robin. In the midst of his declaration, Doncaster stabs him to death, and the Prior then puts the knife in his hand, making it appear that Warman has committed suicide.
WIGMORE
A "ghost character." Lord Wigmore is the father of William Wigmore. He wishes his son to marry Matilda and his suit is supported by the Bruces and Fitzwater.
WILLIAM BLUNT
Sir William Blunt appears to clear John of deliberately starving Lady Bruce and her son, saying that Brand did bring food with him, but locked it away and would not allow the Bruces to have any. There is some confusion here, since all previous references to the constable of Windsor have been to Sir Walter Blunt, and he is reported slain when Young Bruce took the castle. It seems most likely that the playwrights's final intention was to have a single constable who was not killed.
WILLIAM WIGMORE
A "ghost character." William Wigmore is a suitor for Matilda's hand. He woos by proxy, through the offices of Leicester. Matilda rejects him, preferring to remain chaste.
WINCHESTER
A non-speaking character. Winchester appears briefly as a loyalist to John and is sent by John to Hertford with the Queen and Oxford. He appears immediately afterwards as a guard, identified in the stage direction and addressed by name by Richmond. However, the speech-headings all list Chester, who was previously ordered by John to keep watch. After this confusion, Winchester disappears completely, indicating that the playwrights' intention may have been to remove him entirely in revision and give his lines to Chester.
YOUNG BRUCE
Young Bruce is the son of Old Bruce. When Queen Isabel and Salisbury first try to persuade Matilda to come down to them, she agrees, but Young Bruce refuses to let her go and sounds an attack. In the attack, Old Bruce is wounded and dies shortly after in his son's presence. Young Bruce (now called simply Bruce) is sent by Fitzwater to rescue his mother and brother at Windsor Castle. He takes the castle, but finds his mother and brother dead of starvation. He uses their bodies to rouse the people and nobles against John. He describes in affecting detail how Lady Bruce had attempted to use her blood to feed her son, but how, although his lips were stained, his teeth were not, showing that he refused to drink his mother's blood. Young Bruce is almost persuaded by sight of Matilda's corpse to join a rebellion designed to put the French Dauphin on the throne, but is convinced by Oxford to remain loyal and gives up the keys to Windsor Castle to John.
YOUNG FITZWATER
A non-speaking and practically non-existent character. He is mentioned as entering with Fitzwater and Bruce, and is addressed by Fitzwater as "son." In addition, Fitzwater at one points talks of "both" his children. However, it is clear that by middle of the scene (through incomplete revision) that this son of Fitzwater has become Young Bruce, nephew to Fitzwater.