The Rise and Fall of Thomas Cromwell by John Schofield

Author:John Schofield
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780752472928
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2011-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

PART III

The King’s Chief Minister

11

The Administrator

Once he had entered the king’s service, Thomas Cromwell held various offices of state. He was made master of the king’s jewels in April 1532, clerk of the hanaper of chancery in July the same year, and Chancellor of the Exchequer in April 1533. The following year, in April, he became Principal Secretary, and in October, Master of the Rolls. In January 1535 he was the king’s Vicegerent for the visitation of the monasteries. By July 1536, as Lord Privy Seal and full Vicegerent, he had risen as high as any of the king’s subjects could.

The first three were comparatively junior offices. As master of jewels he was responsible for the safe keeping of national reserves in jewellery and plate; as clerk of hanaper, for financial administration in chancery. As Chancellor of the Exchequer Cromwell was able to gain more control over revenue and auditing, but this position was far from being the chief finance minister of the crown, as is the case in Britain today. These posts were held by patent and for life. In each case Cromwell took the office following the death of previous holder but nothing sinister need be read into this. It is not known whether Cromwell applied for the posts, or whether he was appointed to them by Henry without asking.1

The Principal Secretary was the foremost administrative officer of state. This was the office that Cromwell took to new, unprecedented levels, becoming responsible for government administration, revenue, justice, foreign policy, trade, education, defence and even the church.2

Master of the Rolls was another office normally held for life. However, when the then holder, Dr John Taylor, resigned in May 1534, Cromwell was preferred to another candidate, Dr John Tregonwell. When Cromwell later succeeded Anne Boleyn’s father as Lord Privy Seal, he resigned from the Rolls and Sir Christopher Hales took his place. The Master of the Rolls was one of the government officers authorised to ‘write to the seal’ – that is to write documents worthy enough to have the great seal attached to them. It also gave Cromwell more control over government administration. Today the Master of Rolls is a judge, but it does not appear that Cromwell ever acted as a judge in chancery. It was a lucrative office with a salary of £300-330 per annum, and one of its attractions was an official residence, the Rolls House in Chancery Lane. Cromwell obviously appreciated his new home, and he made sure he kept it when Hales succeeded him.3

The vicegerency has been discussed in previous chapters, while the chief advantages of being Lord Privy Seal were prestige and a handsome salary.4

Considering his range of responsibilities, Cromwell can safely be called the king’s ‘chief minister’, provided it is remembered that this was not an official title, and that all appointments to the council were made by the king not Cromwell. His fitness for high office and its multifarious tasks was not disputed by contemporaries, even those who opposed him. Though

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