"thomas cromwell," people say, "that's an ingenious man.e of the new testament by heart? "he is the very man if an argument about god breaks out. "he's the very man for telling your tenants 12 good reasons "why their rents are fair. "he's the man to cut through some legal entanglement that's ensnared "you for three generations. "0r talk your sniffling little daughter into the marriage "she swears she will never make. "with animals, women, and timid litigants, "his manner is gentle and easy. "but he makes your creditors weep. "he can converse with you about the caesars, "or get you venetian glassware at a very reasonable rate. "nobody can out—talk him... if he wants to talk. "nobody can better keep their head when markets are falling and weeping "men are standing on the street tearing up letters of credit. " ‘liz‘ he says to his wife, one night, ‘i believe in a year or two, we'll be rich.' " thank you. in the novels, you challenge the traditional view of cromwell. he was always depicted as a villain, and you make a much more sympathetic char