Once again to Mary Robertson:
after my right harty commendacions,
and with spede.
“Am I not a man like other men? Am I not? Am I not?”
HENRY VIII to Eustache Chapuys, Imperial Ambassador
Contents
Cast of Characters
Family Trees
Part One
I Falcons. Wolf Hall, Wiltshire: September 1535
II Crows. London and Kimbolton: Autumn 1535
III Angels. London: Christmas 1535–New Year 1536
Part Two
I The Black Book. London: January–April 1536
II Master of Phantoms. London: May 1536
III Spoils. London: Summer 1536
Author’s Note
Acknowledgements
Cast of Characters
The Cromwell Household
THOMAS CROMWELL, a blacksmith’s son: now Secretary to the King, Master of the Rolls, Chancellor of Cambridge University, and deputy to the king as head of the church in England.
GREGORY CROMWELL, his son.
RICHARD CROMWELL, his nephew.
RAFE SADLER, his chief clerk, brought up by Cromwell as his son.
HELEN, RAFE’S beautiful wife.
THOMAS AVERY, the household accountant.
THURSTON, his master cook.
CHRISTOPHE, a servant.
DICK PURSER, keeper of the watchdogs.
ANTHONY, a jester.
The Dead
THOMAS WOLSEY, cardinal, papal legate, Lord Chancellor: dismissed from office, arrested and died, 1530.
JOHN FISHER, Bishop of Rochester: executed 1535.
THOMAS MORE, Lord Chancellor after Wolsey: executed 1535.
ELIZABETH, ANNE AND GRACE CROMWELL: Thomas Cromwell’s wife and daughters, died 1527–28: also Katherine Williams and Elizabeth Wellyfed, his sisters.
The King’s Family
HENRY VIII.
ANNE BOLEYN, his second wife.
ELIZABETH, Anne’s infant daughter, heir to the throne.
HENRY FITZROY, Duke of Richmond, the king’s illegitimate son.
The King’s Other Family
KATHERINE OF ARAGON, Henry’s first wife, divorced and under house arrest at Kimbolton.
MARY, Henry’s daughter by Katherine and the alternative heir to the throne: also under house arrest.
MARIA DE SALINAS, a former lady-in-waiting to Katherine of Aragon.
SIR EDMUND BEDINGFIELD, Katherine’s keeper.
GRACE, his wife.
The Howard & Boleyn Families
THOMAS HOWARD, Duke of Norfolk, uncle to the queen: ferocious senior peer and an enemy of Cromwell.
HENRY HOWARD, Earl of Surrey, his young son.
