I
HENRY VII
PAGE
I.INTRODUCTORY[3]
II.HENRY’S EARLY YEARS, ACCESSION, AND ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DYNASTY[5]
III.THE TUDOR ABSOLUTION AND THE EXCHEQUER[11]
IV.COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY[16]
V.JUDICATURE[21]
VI.FOREIGN POLICY[23]
VII.CHARACTER[27]
II
CARDINAL WOLSEY
I.APPRECIATIONS[35]
II.CARDINALIS PACIFICATOR[38]
III.WOLSEY AND THE FRENCH WAR[46]
IV.DOMESTIC POLICY[48]
V.THE DIVORCE[53]
VI.WOLSEY AND THE REFORMATION[62]
VII.WOLSEY’S FALL AND CHARACTER[67]
III
SIR THOMAS MORE
I.INTRODUCTORY[75]
II.UNDER HENRY VII[77]
III.THE EARLY YEARS OF HENRY VIII[82]
IV.THE “UTOPIA”[85]
V.MORE IN PUBLIC LIFE[94]
VI.INDIGNATIO PRINCIPIS[103]
VII.CHARACTER AND DEATH[106]
IV
THOMAS CROMWELL
I.THOMAS CROMWELL[115]
II.EARLIER CAREER AND RISE TO POWER[117]
III.PLANNING THE CAMPAIGN[125]
IV.CONTRA ECCLESIAM[130]
V.THE FABRIC OF DESPOTISM[135]
VI.CROMWELL AND PROTESTANTISM[146]
VII.CROMWELL’S FALL[151]
V
HENRY VIII
I.APPRECIATIONS[157]
II.THE CARDINAL RULES[159]
III.WAR[167]
IV.THE DIVORCE[170]
V.THE NEW POLICY[177]
VI.DIVERGENCES BETWEEN HENRY AND CROMWELL[182]
VII.HENRY’S CLOSING YEARS[187]
VIII.HENRY’S MARRIAGES[192]
IX.HENRY’S CHARACTER[198]
VI
PROTECTOR SOMERSET
I.MISCONCEPTIONS[205]
II.THE PROTECTOR AND HIS PROBLEMS[207]
III.SOMERSET AND SCOTLAND[212]
IV.SOMERSET’S RELIGIOUS POLICY[217]
V.SOMERSET AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEM[222]
VI.THE LORD ADMIRAL[225]
VII.THE EX-PROTECTOR[230]
VII
ARCHBISHOP CRANMER
I.INTRODUCTORY[237]
II.CRANMER AT CAMBRIDGE[239]
III.RISE TO THE ARCHBISHOPRIC[244]
IV.HENRY’S PRIMATE[248]
V.CRANMER AND SOMERSET[258]
VI.THE FLOWING TIDE OF PROTESTANTISM[263]
VII.DE PROFUNDIS[267]
VIII
WILLIAM CECIL (LORD BURGHLEY)
I.THE MINISTERS OF QUEEN ELIZABETH[279]
II.CECIL UNDER EDWARD VI. AND MARY[281]
III.FOREIGN AFFAIRS AT ELIZABETH’S ACCESSION[288]
IV.DOMESTIC AND SCOTTISH POLICY[296]
V.CECIL AND PROTESTANTISM[303]
VI.ELIZABETH’S SECOND PERIOD[307]
VII.THE WAR WITH SPAIN[315]
VIII.AN APPRECIATION[319]
IX
SIR FRANCIS WALSINGHAM
I.WALSINGHAM’S CHARACTER[325]
II.WALSINGHAM’S RISE[328]
III.AMBASSADOR AT PARIS[332]
IV.ENTANGLEMENTS[339]
V.DETECTIVE METHODS[348]
VI.THE END[355]
X
SIR WALTER RALEIGH
I.CHARACTER[361]
II.RALEIGH’S RISE[363]
III.VIRGINIA[369]
IV.AFTER THE ARMADA[376]
V.FAVOUR AND FALL[381]
VI.CAPTIVE AND VICTIM[387]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Henry VII.[Frontispiece]
From a Painting by an unknown Flemish artist, in the National Portrait Gallery
To face page
Cardinal Wolsey[36]
From a Painting by Holbein in the collection at Christ Church, Oxford
Sir Thomas More[76]
From a Painting by Holbein in the National Portrait Gallery
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex[116]
By Holbein, from an Engraving by Houbraken in the British Museum
Henry VIII.[158]
From a Portrait by Jost van Cleef in the Royal Collection at Hampton Court Palace
Protector Somerset[206]
From a Painting by Holbein
Thomas Cranmer[238]
From a Painting by G. Fliccius in the National Portrait Gallery
William Cecil (Lord Burghley)[280]
From a Portrait by Marc Gheeraedts (?) in the National Portrait Gallery
Sir Francis Walsingham[326]
From an engraving by G. Vertue after the picture by Holbein, in the British Museum
Sir Walter Raleigh[362]
From the Painting by Federigo Zuccaro in the National Portrait Gallery

HENRY VII

I
INTRODUCTORY

“This King, to speak of him in terms equal to his deserving, was one of the best sort of wonders, a wonder for wise men.” In those words Francis Bacon summed up Henry VII., a hundred years after the first Tudor king had been laid in his grave. Bacon’s history still is, and is likely to remain, the classic narrative. Not that he was a “contemporary,” or that he had access to any extraordinary sources of information; but because being at once a practical politician, a student of political theory, and a literary artist, any historical work from his pen could hardly have failed to be of the highest interest, and the subject he actually chose was—to him—peculiarly sympathetic.