The date is March 1538.

The dissolution of the monasteries initiated by King Henry VIII is well under way and Cromwell needs to recruit some more help.

It's true that Cromwell did have to recruit commissioners to help him in his work as there were over 600 monastic communities to be visited. The wording of the warrant of entry is real. He did order that a copy of the Bible in English and Latin should be available in every church and paid for it himself. He also did decree that clergyman should keep records of christening, weddings and burials (a god send to genealogists!).

The story about the famous rood of grace at Boxley Abbey in Kent is true. As is the story about the duck's blood and the chalk milk. He did live in Austin Friars which was an old monastery and did move his boundaries back by 22 feet. As well as putting Thomas Stowe's house on wheels so he could move it out of the way.

The process of reporting and the order of dissolution is true. His point was that the church was a richer landowner than the King. His background under Wolsey is true and there was a chance he took bribes. The story about the friar's cowl is true.

The most hated commissioners mentioned are real and one of his other commissioners really was murdered in a barbaric manner.

If you want to find out more about Cromwell, check out the sources and places below:

Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant - Tracy Borman

Thomas Cromwell: Servant to Henry VIII - David Loades

Thomas Cromwell: The Rise and Fall of Henry VIII's Most Notorious Minister - Robert Hutchinson

Tower of London