The True Tragedy of Richard III a source for his play, though the majority tend to favour this judgement. Geoffrey Bullough treats "The True Tragedy" as a "probable source" for "Richard III", citing several commonalities (as when, in both plays, Richard calls for a horse on Bosworth Field, yet refuses to flee the battle) — though Bullough admits that the nature of the plays' relationship is "not clear." The uncertainty in dating has allowed a few commentators to propose a reversed priority, and to argue that the author (or reviser) of "The True Tragedy" may have borrowed from Shakespeare's play. Shakespeare appears to have known of
Richard Battle Richard Battle Lt. Col. Richard John Vulliamy Battle MBE, FRCS, LRCP, MCh Cantab, MA Cantab, BA Cantab, 1970 Gillies Gold Medal. (21 January 1907 – 26 May 1982) was an English plastic surgeon. The son of William Henry Battle and Anna Marguerite (née Vulliamy), Battle was educated at Gresham's School, Norfolk, and Trinity College, Cambridge. His father's family (Battle) were farmers in Lincolnshire. Following service as a military plastic surgeon during the Second World War for which he was awarded the MBE, Battle was appointed as Consultant Plastic Surgeon to St Thomas Hospital, London, the Westminster Hospital, London, and Queen