Master of Phantoms (Part 3/5)
Wolf Crawl Week 27: Monday 1 July – Sunday 7 July
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Welcome to week 27 of Wolf Crawl
This week, we are reading the third of five parts of ‘Master of Phantoms, London, April–May 1536’. This section runs from page 361 to 406 of the Fourth Estate paperback edition. It starts with the line, ‘He has asked the king to keep to his privy chamber, admit as few people as possible.’ It ends: ‘They have brought knives to the table, carved themselves, and picked their own bones clean.’
You will find everything you need for this read-along on the main Cromwell trilogy page of my website, including:
Weekly updates, like this one
Online resources about Mantel’s writing and Thomas Cromwell
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Last week’s post:
This week’s story
Now we are in dangerous days. We, Cromwell, must keep the king apart and keep him to his course. ‘Henry seems inclined to obey.’ A letter comes from Cromwell’s other self, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. Cran plays his part: ‘She cannot be guilty. But yet she must be guilty. We, her brethren, repudiate her.’
Down in Surrey, the Seymours are preparing Jane to be queen. She doesn’t know how to open doors, but Cromwell thinks it doesn’t matter. Soon she will have others to open all her doors. Her sister Bess eases her out of French headgear, and into the gable hood, she will make her own. At the door, Sir Nicholas Carew reminds the Putney clerk of his obligations to the old families of England.
Bring in Bryan, one-eyed Vicar of Hell, stinking of cheap Gascon wine. He enjoys Sir Francis, who has one foot in the enemy camp. Prepare to be helpful, he says. Ready George Boleyn’s inlaws for what is coming. And tell Carew to get off my back.
In his dark chambers, the king gazes into his glass of truth. Cranmer and Cromwell are there to interpret what he sees. Fitzroy, Henry’s bastard, comes to comfort the king. And afterwards, to press his advantage with Cromwell. The king has no legitimate heirs now, and only one son.
Now to the Tower to put questions to guilty men. Harry Norris, oldest and wisest of the four, can see where this is headed and from whence it came. Gentle Norris says, ‘you cannot make my thoughts a crime.’ But Cromwell wonders out loud: why are you not married, Harry? Are you saving yourself for the queen?
William Brereton: ‘Turbulent, arrogant, hard-as-nails.’ We need not waste time with Brereton. He doesn’t care for justice in his own domain, so why should he expect justice in ours?
George Boleyn: guilty of ‘pride and elation.’ Guilty of crossing Cromwell and not bending with the times. Master Secretary thumbs his soul and finds him complacent. There will always be time for forgiveness. He wants his chaplains, but Crumb is his confessor now.
And Francis Weston. Contrite, ready with remorse. Ready with family money to buy his life. A young man who has not lived, who sees his future dissolve before him and he, Cromwell, has to walk out. He excuses himself. Not for a weak bladder, or to bring in the devices. But because he needs air for his stone heart and racing mind, for the nightmare he has dreamed into being and is now all too real, in the room.