Mary Pix’s 1698 play Queen Catharine: Or, The Ruins Of Love, A Tragedy is an historical adaptation of the War of the Roses, that fictionalises Edward IV’s plot for revenge against Queen Catharine, the wife of the late Henry V.
A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.
Edward opens the play with a speech to his council, describing their impending meeting with Catharine’s army in battle. He discusses with his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, why he still seems forlorn at the sound of Catharine’s name, recalling his brief courtship with Catharine when he was a young man at Court. He recounts how she rejected his love, finding out that she was, in fact, in love with Owen Tudor. When asked why he had not taken his revenge on Tudor, Edward admits that in is youth he was outdone in combat, however, now that he is older and wiser, he desires vengeance. The Duke offers up his services in that regard, offering to kill Tudor in front of Catharine. As Edward leaves, Malavill- a spy for Gloucester- informs Gloucester that he witnessed his brother, the Duke of Clarence, meeting with Catharine’s maid, Isabella, in secret, attempting to persuade her to flee the country with him.