Fitzg: End the Wars of the Roses – NOW

 

 
By no right (Divine or otherwise) conferred upon me, I hereby decree that the remains of the late (late by 500+ years, for his own funeral) much maligned King, Richard Plantagenet III of that name, be interred with due honour and respect here:
 

Gloucester Cathedral

 
Let us put an end to the unseemly media and public rowing over the re-interment of the remains of a once-anointed King. Let us take the attention temporarily from Leicester and York, and provide a public/media focus elsewhere, for a temporary hiatus, while the Esteemed Authorities resolve the issue of the primary subjects. (We can wrangle over Gloucester, instead.)
A nos moutons! What has Gloucester Cathedral to offer in place of either of the other two?
It is bigger than the formerly (until 1927) parish church of Leicester. It appears that size counts, in this issue. Tomb or floor slab?
 

And it is prettier than Leicester…

 
 

Noble burials

 

Robert Curthose, son of William the Conqueror.

Edward II, anointed king of England, usurped by his son Edward III, and abdicated in favour of the latter.

 
 

Suitable tombs

 
Gloucester contains the alabaster tomb/effigy of Edward II.
 

 
The Richard III Society commissioned and funded a design for a suitable, aesthetic RIII tomb. Apparently under dispute? by Leicester Cathedral. No room in the inn?
 

 
 

Accomodation

 
Gloucester appears to be sufficiently large to accommodate a TOMB, not a floor slab, to be trodden underfoot…. (rather a slobby solution, do you think?)
 
 

Titles:

 
The main title of Richard III, before he took the crown, was DUKE of GLOUCESTER.
 
 

Contra?

 
Beyond his title, what affiliation has Gloucestershire to Richard III, of the House of York?

The county was part of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The county borders on Wales, whence came Henry Tudor. And Henry V, of the House of Lancaster…

It borders on Cheshire, home of the dreaded Cheshire bowmen, not known as Yorkists. (With super-human restraint, I did not type Yorkies. Let this be on record.)

 
 

A quick aside about York

 

York Minster. As glorious a façade as that of Rouen.

 
The Chapter of York Minster published a statement on February 7 2013, which included the words: “…it commends Richard to Leicester’s care.” Richard, not King Richard III. They have a commemorative stained glass, in the king’s honour. Well, better than a floor slob…
 
And while we await the decision of Eminent Authorities to award the laurels to Leicester (with a floor slob), we can also argue about the merits of the king’s birthplace, Fotheringhay, bloodily redolent, of memories of Mary Stuart. Or Middleham, which could include coach tours to Haworth for pilgrims of varying stripes…
 
Please allow me to mention that this is not a serious post. It is strictly “tongue-in-cheek”, as an indirect comment on the media, etc. “wars”.
A Dwarf of our acquaintance, originally from Leicester, is wisely silent on the Wars. Obviously, he has quite enough to deal with, in retrieving Erebor for his family.
 

Richardarmitagenet Gallery. The Hobbit.
 
 
 
Guestpost by:
Fitzg
 
 
[Image Sources: As far as not otherwise mentioned, the images are Wikimedia Commons files.]