Note to Julius Caesar, Act 2, Scene 1, lines 175-177, "let our hearts . . . seem to chide 'em"

When Brutus tells the rest of the conspirators that they should "let our hearts, as subtle masters do, / Stir up their servants to an act of rage, / And after seem to chide 'em," he is advocating a kind of political hypocrisy which he portrayed in Richard II. In that play, Henry VII has become king by forcing Richard II to hand over his crown. Henry then imprisons Richard, and later asks, in the presence of all of his followers in court, "Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear?" Henry has not mentioned Richard or directly asked anyone to do anything, but it appears to a character named Sir Pierce of Exton (and probably to many others as well) that King Henry wants to be rid of the possibility that Richard will somehow escape from prison, gather an army behind him, and retake the throne from Henry. So Exton murders Richard and takes his body to King Henry, expecting gratitude and a reward. However, Henry gives neither. Henry is honest enough to say that he wanted Richard to be dead, but says "They love not poison who poison need," and sends Exton away with no reward except a guilty conscience.



Illustration by Sir John Gilbert