# VII explained — Privy Seal

> Chapter companion for Privy Seal by Ford Madox Ford.

## What happens

Cromwell and Throckmorton scheme against Katharine Howard. Throckmorton, having planted a forged letter from Cleves to buy time, fears Cromwell's plan to destroy Katharine by bringing her cousin Thomas Culpepper from France and spreading rumors of her unchastity. Cromwell orders Viridus to fetch Culpepper and Throckmorton to gather false witnesses.

## Themes in this chapter

### Betrayal and Intrigue

Throckmorton betrays Cromwell by forging a letter, while Cromwell plots to betray Katharine Howard through false witnesses.

### Power and Corruption

Cromwell uses his power to orchestrate a campaign of slander and manipulation against Katharine Howard.

### Ambition and Survival

Throckmorton's schemes to survive and protect Katharine Howard clash with Cromwell's ambition to destroy her.

## Character check-ins

### Sir Throckmorton

Desperate to protect Katharine Howard, he forges a letter from Cleves to delay Cromwell's attack, but is forced to report rumors of Katharine's affair with her cousin.

### Thomas Cromwell

Plans to destroy Katharine Howard by bringing her cousin from France and gathering witnesses to swear against her, believing her virtuous but dangerous.

### Katharine Howard

The target of Cromwell's schemes; Throckmorton hopes she will enslave the King's desires to save herself.

### Thomas Culpepper

Katharine's cousin, rumored to be her lover; Cromwell plans to fetch him from France and inflame his jealousy.

### Magister Udal

Writes the forged letter from Cleves in swift Latin; rewarded with ten crowns a quarter.

### Master Viridus

Tasked by Cromwell with fetching Thomas Culpepper from Paris.

## Key lines

> Men enow have said she was too fond with her cousin?

Many people have said she was too affectionate with her cousin.

_Cromwell questions Throckmorton about rumors of Katharine's relationship with Culpepper._

> This work of fetching her cousin from Paris I will put into the hands of Viridus.

I will assign Viridus the task of bringing her cousin back from Paris.

_Cromwell delegates the retrieval of Thomas Culpepper to Master Viridus._

> I believe her to be virtuous, therefore do you bring many witnesses, and some that shall swear to have seen her in the act.

I think she is chaste, so you must bring many witnesses, including some who will swear they saw her in the act.

_Cromwell cynically instructs Throckmorton to fabricate evidence against Katharine._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/privy_seal_se/chapters/vii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/privy_seal_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/privy_seal_se/chapters