Mercy Wykys

Mother of Liz Cromwell

Mercy Wykys (1465 - ), Liz Cromwell’s mother and wife to the wool merchant, Henry Wykys.

The story so far…

Week 2: At Austin Friars / Visitation

Cromwell suspects Mercy comes from a family of Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe and his translated bible. “No strange Dutch drinks. No women. No banned preachers in cellars”, she tells Cromwell before he takes her husband to the Low Countries.

Week 3: An Occult History of Britain (Part 1)

It is Liz’s mother who comes out when Cromwell comes in. Here is Mercy, but there is no mercy. She gives Thomas the full account of her daughter’s last hours.

Week 4: An Occult History of Britain (Part 2)

One of the questions facing Thomas Cromwell’s sisters is who will now move in to help Mercy look after his daughters, “until you marry again, Tom”.

When the plague returns, Mercy says, “Can anyone outrun it?” She decides to keep the children in London. It is the wrong decision, and within days both girls are dead.

Week 9: Arrange Your Face (Part 2)

Mercy comes to talk to Cromwell. The king has found a way to marry Anne, though he has slept with her sister. “It hardly helps your case,” she says bluntly. She knows about him and Johane then. And it is time to end this folly.

Mercy says, “Thomas, when you’re cold and under a stone, you’ll talk yourself out of your grave.”

Week 14: Devil's Spit / A Painter’s Eye

The Maid of Kent comes to stay with the Cromwells. “Does she eat well” he asks Mercy. “And she says she eats as heartily as you: well, no, Thomas, perhaps not quite so heartily as you.”

“He likes it that Mercy doesn’t say, ahh, the poor harmless soul. That she is not harmless by nature is clear when they have her over to Lambeth Palace to question her.”

Week 33: Salvage (Part 3/3)

Cromwell goes to his mother-in-law at Austin Friars. He tells her of his intention to use the new house in Hackney for the meeting between the king and his daughter. Mercy asks about William Tyndale. She holds angry vengeful thoughts about Thomas More ‘for what he inflicted on men and women who are nearer to God than he will ever be.’

Week 38: Vile Blood (1/2)

Cromwell often rode to Little Marlow to see the prioress Margaret Vernon. ‘What does she look like?’ asked Mercy.

He understood the question. ‘She not young.’

Week 41: The Image of the King (Part 1/2)

He takes a day off, and walks the grounds at Austin Friars with his gardeners, Mercy Prior leaning on his arm.