THE DAUGHTER OF TIME

In my reply to Roderick Robinson's comment to my last post I wrote that the controversial history of Richard III could be the subject of a detective story and mentioned Josephine Tey's  investigative novel on precisely this subject - "The Daughter of Time".

My own daughter drew my attention to Peter Hitchens'  commentary about the book on BBC Radio 4's "A Good Read", where he calls it one of the most important books ever written.

It is a short book, easily read in one or two sittings and pretty "unputdownable" for those who enjoy such things - available from Amazon, in paperback or Kindle.

You will never again accept historical record on trust!

KING RICHARD III

Many in Britain would have seen the fascinating Channel 4 TV programme on the discovery of the skeleton of King Richard III - a much maligned monarch or an evil monster according to who you believe. My daughter and I tend to favour the former. History is always written by the victors and Henry Tudor employed many spin doctors to legitimize his victory at Bosworth in 1485 and his subsequent reign based on a very thin claim. Shakespeare curried favour to the last Tudor (Elizabeth I) when he wrote his play, "Richard III".

With Richard's death it was given that the last of the Plantagenets had passed away - however there is a curious story that his illegitimate son lived on and is buried at a derelict church about one mile from the photograph in my previous post.

Now that the archaeologists who excavated Richard's skeleton have his DNA there is talk of them excavating the grave at this church to see if the story can be proven.

Since "Richard of Eastwell" died childless, our present Queen is secure in her succession!

"Loyaultie me lie"