Death of a king

April 9th, 1483 was a day that dramatically changed the history of England, for on this day Edward IV died prematurely, only in his 41st year. His death led to the deaths of his sons, his brother Richard, his best friend, William Hastings, and the end of the Yorkist and Plantagenet dynasties. Had Edward lived another twenty or even ten years, history would have gone in another direction altogether. Impossible to predict what sort of king his son would have made or how Richard would have fared at a Woodville court. All we can say for a certainty is that there would have been no Tudor dynasty. After that, it is anyone’s guess.
The Sunne in Splendour, page 880, Edward’s deathbed
* * *
“Bess….”
“Yes, Papa, yes! I’m right here.”
“Sorry….so sorry…..”
“For what, Papa? You’ve nothing to be sorry for, nothing at all.” She could see him straining to speak and knew she should urge him to be still, but she could not; these last moments of coherent communication were too precious to lose.
“Sweet Bess…..so loved.” He made an uncertain movement; she knew he was searching for her hand and quickly laced her fingers through his.
“Do not worry, Papa. Please do not worry.”
“Do you know…what are the worst….worst sins?”
She bent closer, not sure she’d heard him correctly. “No, Papa. What are the worst sins?”
“The worst are,” he whispered, “those about to be found out.”
Bess did not understand. “Rest now, Papa. It will be all right for us, truly it will. Rest now.”
* * *