- The son of a brewer, Thomas Cromwell (1485-1540) rose to become Earl of Essex, Vice-Regent and High Chamberlain of England, Keeper of the Privy Seal and Chancellor of the Exchequer. Cromwell was a master of intrigue and pursued both his own career and the interests of the King with bribery, corruption and a single-minded energy. Drawing on contemporary sources and quoting the words of the protagonists, Hutchinson provides a colourful narrative of the rise and fall of Henry VIII"s notorious Chief Minister.