monastery reforms 155–6
property 47, 48
Woodville, Elizabeth 23, 34
Wriothesley, Richard 98–9, 133, 135, 147, 150, 161, 164, 167, 168, 170
Wyatt, Henry 111, 112
Wyatt, Thomas 101, 111–12, 144, 150, 160, 162, 170
Wycliffe, John 152
Wykys, Elizabeth see Cromwell, Elizabeth (wife)
Wykys, Henry 24, 27
Wykys, Mercy 27
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I was thrilled when I was first approached to write this companion, for I have been a fan of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy from the beginning, even when her versions of historical characters didn’t quite match mine. This has been a project like no other, but an utterly rewarding one, to write the history alongside a work of fiction so artfully crafted that even after countless readings I am still drawn to the world Mantel has created. This book has been an absolute joy to write, for the fictional characters as well as their historical counterparts have led such extraordinary lives. So many characters have flitted across my desk throughout the writing process, each demanding their moment, and I have tried to do justice to them all. As a young student I struggled with history’s unsavoury version of Thomas Cromwell, but I am thankful to those historians who rescued him from historical ignominy, by presenting him as more than just a ‘thug in a doublet:’ in particular Geoffrey Elton, Michael Everett, Tracy Borman, but especially Diarmaid MacCulloch. But I think they can all agree Cromwell has had his moment at last.
I must also thank my wonderful agent, Donald Winchester, for thinking of me when the project was first envisioned, and for his constant support and encouragement. I have been fortunate to have a fantastic team at Pavilion/Batsford: John Lee and Tina Persaud who first proposed the project, the irreplaceable Kristy Richardson, whose dedication has made it what it is, as well as Katie Hewett, Gemma Doyle, Claire Clewley, and finally Joanna Lisowiec for her wonderful illustrations.
On a personal note, I must thank my parents, who are long-time fans of Mantel’s works, who have savoured every page of her series and have been instrumental in the creation of this companion. And to my husband Klemen, to whom this book is dedicated. You have read so much of Mantel’s work, you could likely write your own companion – throughout the journey you have been the most important companion of all.
Also my thanks to Alison Bury, for her constant support and enthusiasm for this project.
And thank you especially to Hilary Mantel, whose formidable trilogy has launched a whole new appreciation of the period. Her prose has been such an influence on my own writing, as I have sought to rehabilitate some of the most maligned individuals of the Tudor age. She has been at my side for so many years, always whispering ‘consider this’.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2020 by Batsford
43 Great Ormond Street
London WC1N 3HZ
An imprint of Pavilion Books Company Ltd
Copyright © Batsford, 2020
Text copyright © Lauren Mackay, 2020
Illustrations by Joanna Lisowiec
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
ISBN: 9781849946858
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This book can be ordered direct from the publisher at the website www.pavilionbooks.com, or try your local bookshop.
Distributed in the United States and Canada by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 1166 Avenue of the Americas, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10036
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