I simply had to research an author with such a splendid name. Muddock (1843-1934) was a prolific British journalist and author of horror and mystery fiction. Between 1889 and 1922, he published nearly 300 detective and mystery stories. He also wrote under the names of Joyce Emmerson Preston Muddock and Dick Donovan. Most of Muddock's stories featured this continuing character, Dick Donovan, the Glasgow Detective, named after one of the 18th century Bow Street Runners. The character was so popular that the later stories were published under his name. Son of a sea captain, during his youth and career Muddock travelled to India, China, Australia and America. By 1870, he had started publishing serial stories in English newspapers. He married three times - in 1861, 1871 and 1880 - with ten children who survived infancy. One daughter changed her name to Eva Mudocci and became the mistress of the Expressionist painter Edvard Munch. Three of Muddock's sons fell in the Great War.
Although, obviously, the tale revolves around the same woman, Muddock's approach is very different from that of Mrs Bennetts' 'Jane Shore' (see my Blog of 30th December 2023). Here the long-suffering husband, Matthew Shore takes more of a centre stage. Fully alive to the prospect of losing Jane to other, more powerful men, he manages to effect their marriage, but is overheard slandering the king and the Yorkists. Arrested, he is set free in exchange for his wife becoming Edward IV's paramour. Bitter hatred now leads to a prominent role in opposing Edward (for the Usurper Edward I have naught but contempt). Caught again, he escapes - from the Jaws of Death - from the Tower yet again, thanks to Jane. I wondered whether the author was ever a Freemason, as the Secret League he joins supporting Henry VI and the Lancastrians has a very similar set of passwords and initiation questions and answers. The scenes in the Tower, with Matthew's torture and confession contain some of the best of Muddock's writing. Muddock's tale ends with Shore and his wife escaping to Wales - he to die a year later from an illness, she to enter a nunnery!
Jane is Jane Wainstead, daughter of Thomas, a mercer of good repute and business in Cheapside. It is he, rather than his wife, who wishes for a good marriage for his daughter. Thus, Mrs Bennett's opinion is reversed. Jane is the same character, but more in love with her husband and genuinely conscience-stricken when the King forces her to become his mistress in return for saving her husband's life. Throughout the book, Jane is portrayed as a women of good character, forced to do things she didn't really want to do and, ultimately, loyal to her husband.
William Hastings plays a major role in the story; first, on more than one occasion trying to seduce Jane (including an attempted abduction). Muddock's opinion is that to ladies he was the most courteous of chevaliers, but his insincerity was proverbial... a dangerous gallant. He has a veritable passion for Jane. Secondly, he is instrumental is ensuring Matthew Shore escapes from the Tower.
As for Richard of Gloucester, he is portrayed as a malign character from the first: there was something unpleasant in his face, a something that repelled. The author has a novel explanation for his hatred of Jane. It is not the usual dislike of her strumpet-like behaviour, but because he is repelled by her when he tried to seduce her himself! Moreover, when she has to tell the king, Gloucester gets a humiliating dressing down! The Duke rose to his feet. His face was pale. There was a perceptible quiver on his lip, and that peculiar, deep, furtive and cunning expression of the eyes which was so characteristic of the Duke of Gloucester, and so fraught with danger to his enemies, showed itself. As his years increased this expression became more marked, and it undoubtedly indicated his savage and ferocious nature. For savage and ferocious he was, and against those whom he disliked he seemed capable of any cruelty...he never forgave the insult to his pride when she refused his caresses, and brought upon him his Royal brother's reprimand. The Duke was a terrible hater, and never forgave his enemies...he was a man of a singularly cunning nature, in which selfishness and ambition were overmastering traits. He possessed not an atom of real reverence or religion, and the fact that he was to some extent deformed soured and embittered him... Edward IV, on his death bed, warns Hastings, watch well my brother, the Duke of Gloucester. He is subtle and full of evil. For every move he makes make you a counter move. Someone even worse was Richard's sidekick, Catesby.
Muddock reveals that he used the Paston Letters (Knight's edition) and referred to Sir Thomas More as the historian.
My copy has a pasted-in printed note on the flyleaf: from the Jane Shore Collection of James L. Harner, this being Copy 3. One wonders how many other books Mr Harner had on Jane.
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