What Henry enjoyed more than anything, apart from a hunt, was a wedding and an execution, and if they were on the same day then so much the better. On 28 July, Cromwell walked the short distance from his cell in the Tower to the scaffold as Henry married the young Catherine Howard at Oatlands Palace in Surrey. The game of chess could begin again, with new players. In Cromwell’s final minutes, his often-sung Italian folk song, ‘Scaramella to the War is Gone’, becomes muddled with one of Thomas Wyatt’s poems: ‘I am as I am and so will I be. But how that is I leave to you, false or true.’ Words reminiscent of those spoken by Anne Boleyn: ‘If anyone shall meddle with my cause I ask them to judge the best.’ Anne’s soul departed between sighs, Cromwell’s between a pulse-beat.
‘He is far from England now, far from these islands, from the waters salt and fresh. He has vanished. He feels for an opening, blinded, looking for a door: tracking the light along the wall.
THE AFTERMATH
We do not follow Cromwell in death, but many others would follow him to the scaffold: Margaret Pole, Jane Rochford, Catherine Howard, the Duke of Norfolk’s son, Henry Howard, and both Seymour brothers, the men being executed on the orders of their nephew, Edward VI. Cromwell’s boys – Rafe, Gregory and Richard – would struggle in the first year following Cromwell’s death, but they all continued their careers at court, and remained close-knit throughout their lives. Gregory Cromwell would eventually participate in several high-profile parliamentary proceedings, including the attainders of Catherine Howard, and his father’s enemies, Norfolk and his son, Henry Howard.
Although Cromwell’s family publicly distanced themselves from the patriarch as Cromwell had likely recommended, he was mourned by them and loyal friends, and not least by the king. Marillac reported that Henry had raged at his councillors, ‘saying that, upon light pretexts, by false accusations, they made him put to death the most faithful servant he ever had’. Henry never took accountability for his own poor decisions – it was always someone else’s fault. Men like Rich, Wriothesley and Audley, who quietly side-stepped Cromwell’s grisly fate, became Henry’s new henchmen – Rich and Wriothesley’s reputations forever tainted for racking the outspoken reformer Anne Askew with their own hands in 1546. Following Cromwell’s death, Henry’s court became more fractious and factional than it had ever been, with Henry becoming the irrational, tyrannical and vengeful monarch so well-known to history. Marillac, like Chapuys and other foreign ambassadors, had his measure, and he wrote frankly that Henry would go on dipping his hands in blood. It was more a prophesy than a speculation.
The real Cromwell once wrote to Thomas Wyatt that Henry was ‘the Mirror and the light of all Kings and Princes in Christendom’. Henry was indeed the mirror, in whose reflection courtiers existed; and in whose light they thrived. But as Mantel’s Cromwell tells us, he shed no lustre of his own, but spun in the reflected light of his master – if it moved, he was gone.
Mantel’s trilogy casts Cromwell across multiple reflections. Even Cromwell notes, there have been so many versions he doesn’t always recognize himself. But somewhere between fact and fiction there is the real Cromwell: Putney boy, statesman, politician, henchman, father, loyal servant and loyal minister. If we are to learn anything from Mantel’s writing it is that beneath every history is indeed another history, and each one deserves to be told.
FURTHER READING
Bernard, G. W., Fatal Attractions (London: Yale University Press, 2010)
Bernard, G. W., Power & Politics in Tudor England (London: Ashgate, 2000)
Block, J. S., Factional Politics and the English Reformation 1520–1540 (London: Royal Historical Society, 1993)
Borman, Tracy, Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant (London: Hachette, 2014)
Brewer, J. S. and R. H. Brodie, Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII (London: HMSO, 1862–1920)
Ellis, Henry, Original Letters, illustrative of English history: including numerous royal letters, from autographs in the British Museum, and one or two other collections. 2 and 3 series, 11 vols (London: Richard Bentley, 1824–46)
Elton, Geoffrey, England under the Tudors (London: Routledge, 1991)
Everett, Michael, The Rise of Thomas Cromwell: Power and Politics in the Reign of Henry VIII, 1485–1534 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2015)
Fraser, Antonia, The Wives of Henry VIII (New York: Vintage Books, 1993)
Froude, James Anthony, Henry VIII and the Reformation (London: Masters, 1856)
Gunn, Steven, Henry VII’s New Men and the Making of Tudor England (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016)
Gwyn, Peter J., The King’s Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of Thomas Wolsey (Pimlico, 1992)
Haigh, Christopher, English Reformations, Religion Politics and Society Under the Tudors (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993)
Hall, Edward, Halls chronicle; containing the history of England, during the reign of Henry the Fourth, and the succeding monarchs, to the end of the reign of Henry the Eighth, in which are particularly described the manners and customs of those periods. Carefully collated with the editions of 1548–1550 (London: J. Johnson, 1809)
Ives, Eric, The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn (London: Blackwell Publishing, 2004)
Lipscomb, Suzannah, A Visitor’s Companion to Tudor England (London: Ebury Press, 2012)
MacCulloch, Diarmaid, The Reign of Henry VIII: Politics, Policy, and Piety (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 1995)
MacCulloch, Diarmaid, Thomas Cromwell: A Life (London: Penguin, 2018)
Mackay, Lauren, Inside the Tudor Court: Henry VIII and his Six Wives through the eyes of the Spanish Ambassador (Stroud, Amberley, 2015)
Mackay, Lauren, Among the Wolves of Court: The Untold Story of Thomas and George Boleyn (London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2018)
Marshall, Peter, Heretics and Believers: A History of the English Reformation (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2017)
Mattingly, Garrett, Catherine of Aragon (Boston: Little, Brown, 1941)
North, John, The Ambassador’s Secret, Holbein and the World of the Renaissance (Bloomsbury Academic, 2005)
Norton, Elizabeth, The Lives of Tudor Women (Head of Zeus, 2016)
Scarisbrick, J. J., Henry VIII (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1968)
Starkey, David, Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII (London: Random House, 2004)
Williams, Penry, The Tudor Regime (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1979)
Weir, Alison, The Six Wives of Henry VIII (New York: Random House, 1993)
INDEX
Allen, John 27
Anne of Cleves 37, 52, 84, 115, 164, 165–6, 167
Anselma (fictional character) 22
Antwerp 21–3
Arthur, Prince of Wales 28, 35, 37, 66, 77
Aske, Robert 156, 157
Askew, Anne 170
Audley, Thomas 96, 102, 116, 135, 156, 168, 170
Austin Friars 24–7, 105, 108, 135, 168
Bandello, Matteo 16, 18, 20
Barton, Elizabeth 102–3, 144
Beaufort, Margaret 30, 33–4, 141
Benson, William 116
Bilney, Thomas 100
Blount, Elizabeth 149
Boleyn, Alice 56, 58, 147
Boleyn, Anne
Barton prophesy 102
as book character 11, 117, 120–1, 130
in Calais 103–5
downfall and execution 124, 125, 126–31, 133–4, 140, 144, 168
early life 72–3
influence at court 51–2
miscarriage 122
Oath of Succession 116
as patron 115
Percy relationship 53–5
Wyatt relationship 112
Boleyn family history 56, 57
Boleyn, Geoffrey 56
Boleyn, George 59–60, 88, 120, 122, 123–4, 125–6, 127, 128, 130–1
Boleyn, Jane 59, 61
Boleyn, Mary 60–1, 101, 105
Boleyn, William 56
Bonner, Edmund 113
Bonvisi, Antonio 42, 91, 92–3
Bosworth, Battle of 14, 34, 49, 53, 55
Brandon, Charles (Duke of Suffolk) 38, 50–2, 156, 166
Brandon, Henry 52
Brandon, Thomas 50
Brandon, William 49, 50
Brereton, William 85, 88, 123, 128, 131
Browne, Anthony 125
Bryan, Francis 84, 138, 139, 148
Butler, Margaret 56
Butler, Thomas 56, 72
Calais 103–5
Calvin, John 152
Campeggio, Cardinal Lorenzo 68–9, 83
Carew, Nicholas 139, 140, 148, 163
Carey, Catherine 165
Carey, William 61
Castiglione, Baldasarre 112–13, 114
Catherine of Valois 33
Cavendish, George 30, 70, 85, 88
Chapuys, Eustace
background and arrival in England 16, 92–3
as book character 77, 83, 93–5, 124–5, 139, 147, 148
as Cromwell’s neighbour 24
as historical source 9, 16–17, 88, 93–4, 106, 117, 122, 123, 124–5, 134, 140, 148, 162
meets Anne Boleyn 123
Charles V 16, 68–9, 90, 92, 103, 116–17, 124, 160, 162, 166
Christina of Milan 162, 166
Christmas 76–7, 78
Clancy, Dorothea (Wolsey) 135
Clement VII, Pope 67, 68, 69, 97, 106
Compton, William 82–3
Court, the Tudor 40–4
Courtenay, Gertrude 144, 147, 163
Courtenay, Henry 143–4, 147, 163
Courteney family history 143
Courteney, William 143
Cranmer, Thomas 98, 99–100, 102–3, 106, 116, 156, 160
Cromwell, Anne 24
Cromwell, Elizabeth (wife) 24–7, 155
Cromwell family history 16, 18, 25
Cromwell, Grace 138–7
Cromwell, Gregory 24, 27, 78, 109, 135, 151, 160–1, 165, 170
Cromwell, Jane (or book character Janneke) 24, 135
Cromwell, Richard 18, 27, 84, 135, 143, 170
Cromwell, Thomas
as book character 7, 10–11
downfall and execution 167–8
early career 19–23
elevation by Henry VIII 9, 14, 88–9, 101, 116, 135, 145, 167
faith 152–4
historians’ viewpoints 8–9, 10
as lawyer 23, 64
works for Wolsey 27–8, 64–5, 70
Cromwell, Walter 7, 16, 17–18
Culpepper, Thomas 41, 84–5
Darrell, Bess 144
Denny, Anthony 83–4
Dereham, Francis 85
Dormer, William 138
Douglas, Archibald 150
Douglas, Margaret 146, 150–1
Dudley, Edmund 29
Edward IV 28, 33, 34, 47, 49, 161
Edward VI 37–8, 46, 98, 170
Elizabeth I 37, 38, 48, 108, 116, 120, 144
Elizabeth of York 34, 56
Empson, Richard 29
entertainment 44, 78–9, 88
Erasmus, Desiderius 24, 58–9, 92, 152, 154–5, 168
Esher Palace 71, 75
feast days 75–7
Field of Cloth of Gold 31, 81
Fisher, John 116, 117, 144
Fitzroy, Henry 139, 146, 149, 151
Fitzroy, Mary 146, 149, 150, 165
Fitzwilliam, William 127, 147–8, 161
food 42, 75, 76–7
Fox, Edward 99–100, 160
Fox, Richard 28–9, 30, 31, 58
Foxe, John 9, 16, 18, 19, 20
France 31, 52, 71, 117
Francis I, King of France 31, 47, 60, 72, 103–4, 117, 162, 166
Frescobaldi, Francesco 20, 21
Gardiner, Stephen 96–8, 99, 134, 164–5, 166, 167
Garter, Most Noble Order of the 47, 59, 161
Glossop, Nicholas 58
Grammont, Gabriel de 88
Gray’s Inn 23, 64, 156
Greenwich Palace 48, 61
Grey, Cecily 23
Grey, Jane 38, 52
Grey, Thomas 23, 27, 96, 109
Groom of the Stool role 41, 83, 84
Hall, Edward 29
Hallowtide 75
Hampton Court 29, 31, 47, 134
hawking 80
Henry V 16, 33, 48, 53
Henry VI 33, 34, 48, 53
Henry VII 14, 20, 24, 28, 30, 34–5, 40, 48, 49, 53, 55, 141
Henry VIII
becomes king 28, 31
burial 48
as head of English church 101, 141, 147, 156, 167
jousting accident 120, 145, 146
marriage and annulment with Katherine of Aragon 9, 16, 24, 28, 37, 67–70, 91–3, 97–8, 99, 106–8, 142–3, 144
marriage with Anne Boleyn 102, 105–6, 116–17, 120–1, 122
marriage with Anne of Cleves 166, 167
marriage with Jane Seymour 141
Holbein, Hans 109, 115, 162, 164, 165
Holy League 31
Hotspur, Harry 53
Howard, Catherine 37, 85, 165, 168, 170
Howard family history 54–5
Howard, Henry 149, 170
Howard, Thomas (2nd Duke of Norfolk) 55, 56, 59, 72, 127, 130, 137, 149, 151, 156, 164–5, 166–7
Howard, Thomas ‘Tom Truth’ 55, 150, 151, 170
Humanist Movement 111
hunting 78–80
Hutton, John 164
Italy 19–21, 23
James IV 28, 38
James V 38, 150, 162
jousting 80–1, 84, 120, 127
Julius II, Pope 31, 67
Katherine of Aragon
background 65–6
as book character 100–1, 106
death 81, 121–2
jewels 103–4
marriage annulment 9, 16, 24, 37, 67–70, 91–3, 97–8, 99, 106–8, 142–3, 144
marriage to Arthur 28, 37, 66–7
Kingston, William 127, 130, 131
Latimer, Katherine (nee Parr) 37, 165
Legatine Court 68, 69, 83
Leo X, Pope 20–1, 22
Lord Chamberlain role 41
Lord Steward role 41
Louis XII, King of France 51, 72
Ludlow Castle 37, 66
Luther, Martin 90, 100, 152, 154
Machiavelli, Niccolo 113
Mantel, Hilary 8, 10–11
Margaret of Austria 16, 72
Marillac, Charles de 162, 166, 167, 168, 170
Mary I (Lady Mary) 37, 38, 48, 60, 98, 116, 144, 146–9, 156, 160, 162
masques 73
Merchant’s Guilds 20–1
Middleton, Alice 90, 91
monasteries 28, 64–5, 155–6
More, Thomas 11, 89–91, 97, 100, 101, 116, 117, 135
Morton, John 90
Neville, Edward 51, 163
Neville, Richard, Earl of Warwick 142
Nonsuch Palace 46–7
Norfolk, Duke of see Howard, Thomas
Norris, Henry 41, 83, 88, 105, 121, 123, 126, 127, 128, 131
Norris, Mary 165
Oath of Succession 116–17, 144
palaces 40, 45–8
Parker, Henry, Lord Morley 114, 125
Paul III, Pope 117
Paulet, William 127
Percy family history 52–4
Percy, Henry 53–4, 88, 101
Perreau, Louis de, Sieur de Castillon 162
Perrenot de Granvelle, Nicolas 16
Pilgrimage of Grace 52, 156–7, 160
Plantagenet, Edward 34
Pole family history 141–2
Pole, Geoffrey 142, 163
Pole, Hugh 163
Pole, Margaret 142, 163, 170
Pole, Reginald 9, 16, 18, 113–14, 142–3, 147, 161, 163
Pole, Richard 142<
br />
Privy Chamber 40–1, 82–5
Privy Council 96–9
Puebla, Rodrigo de 66
Putney 16, 18
Rich, Richard 102, 135, 168, 170
Richard III 14, 28, 34, 49–50, 53, 55
Rochford, Jane 114, 125–6, 140, 151, 165, 170
Rovezzano, Benedetto da 28
royal residences 40, 45–8
Russell, John 71
Sadler, Rafe 27, 106, 109, 121, 135, 147, 148, 170
St Leger, Anthony 18
Seymour, Anne (nee Stanhope) 165
Seymour, Edward 137–8, 139, 161, 170
Seymour, Elizabeth (Bess) 138–9, 160–1, 165
Seymour family history 137–8
Seymour, Jane 37, 48, 120–1, 122–3, 134, 138–41, 145–6, 157, 160, 161
Seymour, John 120, 137, 138
Seymour, Thomas 138, 139, 161, 170
Shelton, Anne 147
Shelton, Margaret 125–6
Shelton, Mary 105, 121, 150, 151
Smeaton, Mark 122, 126, 131
Somerset, Elizabeth 125, 126
Stafford, William 61
Suffolk, Duke of see Brandon, Charles
Suleiman the Magnificent 117
Talbot, George 156
Talbot, Mary 54
tapestries 22
Tebald, Thomas 164
tournaments 44
Tower of London 45–6, 60, 127, 129
Tudor, Edmund 33
Tudor family tree 36
Tudor, Henry (VII) see Henry VII
Tudor, Henry (VIII) see Henry VII
Tudor, Jasper 33, 34, 97
Tudor, Margaret 28, 35, 38, 150
Tudor, Mary (Henry VIII’s sister) 35, 38, 51, 52, 72
Tudor, Owen 33
Tyndale, William 100, 154, 155
Vaughan, Steven 22, 70, 155
Vergil, Polydore 30, 82
Warham, William 17, 98, 102, 106
Wars of the Roses 14, 33–4, 53, 55
Wellyfed, Alice 27
Weston, Francis 85, 88, 123, 126, 127, 128, 131
Whitehall 31, 48, 73
Wilhelm of Cleves 166
Williams, Kat (née Cromwell) 7
Williams, Richard see Cromwell, Richard
Williamson, Johane 27
Williamson, John 27
Willoughby, Catherine 52
Windsor Castle 47–8
Wolf Hall 120, 137
Wolsey, Thomas
background and personality 29–31
as book character 11, 38, 53–4, 116
Charles Brandon’s marriage 51
death 88
employs Cromwell 27–8, 64–5
as godfather to Henry’s children 149
goes to York 70, 83
marriage annulment negotiations 67, 68–70, 97
Wolf Hall Companion Page 18