Wriothesley, Sadler, and Rich: The Men Behind Cromwell

Wriothesley, Sadler, and Rich exemplify the intrigue and peril of Tudor politics as key members of Thomas Cromwell’s inner circle. Wriothesley, a calculating and ambitious politician, rose to prominence through Cromwell’s patronage but secured his own advancement by betraying his mentor. Sadler, a loyal and skilled diplomat, managed to maintain his integrity and navigate the turbulent court, surviving the fall of Cromwell and serving through four Tudor reigns. Rich, infamous for his treachery and moral compromise, exploited every opportunity for personal gain, becoming one of the most controversial figures of his time. Together, their stories highlight the volatile interplay of ambition, loyalty, and betrayal in one of England’s most transformative eras.

Rough Transcript of Episode 267 The Men Behind Cromwell: Wriothesley, Sadler, & Rich

This is an episode on the men who surrounded Thomas Cromwell. I’ve been doing a lot on Thomas Cromwell on my YouTube channel. I’ve been doing reaction videos every week. To the new season of The Mirror and the Light that’s on in the UK. So if you aren’t subscribed to my YouTube channel, there’s a plug for that.

And members and patrons this month got a mini audio course on Thomas Cromwell. So I’ve had a lot of Cromwell on my mind. And I realized I’ve never done an episode. I’ve done episodes on Cromwell here. David Crowther from the History of England did a fantastic talk at one of the Tudor summits. Gosh, I want to say maybe 2018 on Cromwell.

And so we’ve done a lot around Cromwell, but what I’ve never done is an episode on the men who surrounded Cromwell, the household of Cromwell. And so that’s what we’re going to talk about today.

After Cromwell’s wife and two daughters died of probably the sweating sickness. He kept his home at Austin Friars. It was a home that was filled with the people he had working for him, the servants, but also people who were petitioning. It was a very busy place. And he had a team of a handful of men that he trusted who worked with him and who were very close with him. And so we’re going to talk about a couple of those men. And we’re going to talk about Ralph Sadler, Thomas Wriothesley, aka Call-Me Risley and Richard Rich are the three people we’re going to talk about in this episode, so let’s get into it.

Key Figures: Wriothesley, Sadler, and Rich

Tudor England in the 1530s was a kingdom that was being reshaped by bold reforms and, of course, dangerous court rivalries. And at the center of this transformation process stood Cromwell. A man of extraordinary vision who had risen from humble beginnings to becoming Henry’s chief minister. Surrounding him was a select group of men who shared his ambitions, executed his plans, and when the time came, either betrayed him or carried on his legacy.

Among these figures, the ones we’re going to talk about today were Thomas Wriothesley, Ralph Sadler, and Richard Rich. Each played a critical role. In Cromwell’s meteoric rise and the reforms that defined this period of Henry’s reign, Wriothesley was sharp and calculating, and he was just the person who mastered court politics with a loyalty as conditional as it was fierce.

Sadler was a trusted aide, skilled diplomat. He maintained his integrity while outlasting the political storms that claimed many others. And Rich remains one of the most infamous opportunists of the period. A man whose actions defined moral compromise in pursuit of power.

Thomas Wriothesley: The Calculating Politician

Let’s start with Thomas Wriothesley, Call-Me Risley. Born in 1405, he came from a family of heralds and administrators. He was educated at St. Paul’s School and later at Trinity Hall in Cambridge. He studied under the influential cleric Stephen Gardner. He didn’t earn a degree, but Wriothesley’s education, coupled with Gardner’s mentorship, provided a foundation in law and diplomacy.

His introduction to court life came through the patronage of Thomas Cromwell, who met Wriothesley and recognized his ambition and his political instincts. Sometime before May of 1530, he was appointed Joint Clerk of the Signet under Gardiner, who had by that point been a secretary to Henry VIII. Alison Weir has described Wriothesley as being able, enterprising, tenacious, and ruthless Yet insufferably overconfident and egotistic.

As Cromwell rose to power in the early 1530s and became Henry VIII’s chief minister, Wriothesley transferred his service. He left his position as the clerk of the signet in 1530. And he transferred his loyalty to Cromwell, becoming Cromwell’s chief clerk and personal secretary. One of his first jobs as a member of this pool of royal secretaries, he worked with William Brereton to help secure the annulment for Henry against Catherine of Aragon.

They actually went out on a little traveling job to get the nobility to sign written statements Saying that they agreed with the annulment. So they were out there collecting, almost like getting people to sign petitions. By the mid 1530s, he was benefiting from the dissolution of the monasteries. He had been working with Cromwell on that and he was granted lands between Southampton and Winchester that had once belonged to the abbeys of Beaulieu and Titchfield.

He actually transformed Titchfield Abbey into a massive grand residence, which is where he would set up his household. He had a reputation during this time as being a very capable, But also unscrupulous operator. In 1533 he got married to Jane Cheney, who was the daughter and the heiress of William Cheney, and they had three sons and five daughters, so they were very prolific.

So in 1539 Wriothesley was appointed ambassador to Brussels. He oversaw the naval escort that brought Anne of Cleves to England, which of course was a very politically sensitive mission. That really gave him an opportunity to showcase his versatility as a diplomat. But his ambition often overrode his loyalty.

In 1540, he betrayed his mentor by relaying to the king accusations about Cromwell’s indiscretions regarding Anne of Cleves. So basically he went to the king and told him that Cromwell was gossiping about him. This treachery, coupled with the political fallout from Cromwell’s failed foreign alliances, sealed his mentor’s fate and cemented Wriothesley’s own advancement.

Later that year, after Cromwell had been executed, Wriothesley was knighted and appointed one of Henry VIII’s principal secretaries sharing responsibilities with Saraf Sadler, who is also knighted While Sadler focused on personal correspondence for the King Wriothesley handled the broader political matters He went whichever way the wind blew.

Sometimes he supported the reformers and other times he would support the Catholic faction. His power peaked in 1544 when he became the Lord Chancellor and this brought him some pretty negative notoriety. He personally operated the rack during the torture of Anne Askew, who, was a Protestant martyr accused of heresy.

This is a pretty icky thing. And the fact that Wriothesley was able to do this, the first woman, I think the only woman who was ever racked in the tower I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about what kind of person that is, but I have my opinions. Despite his power, Wriothesley’s political fortunes waned toward the end of Henry’s reign.

His attempts to arrest Queen Katherine Parr on charges of heresy were rebuffed by the king himself, who dismissed Wriothesley with scathing insults. Must have come as quite a surprise considering he thought the whole thing was taken care of. But there’s that. And then, by the time of Henry’s death in 1547, Wriothesley was outmaneuvered by Edward Seymour, who became the Lord Protector during Edward VI’s minority.

Accusations of corruption led to Wriothesley’s dismissal as the Lord Chancellor and his temporary removal from the Privy Council. He was later readmitted to the Council, but he never regained his former influence. He also played a role in the downfall of Somerset, the Lord Protector, of course he did, but his career never fully recovered.

He died on July 30, 1550, and his son Henry succeeded him as the second Earl of Southampton, inheriting the wealth and the status that Wriothesley fought so hard and compromised his morals so much to secure.

Ralph Sadler: The Loyal Statesman

Now let’s talk about Ralph Sadler, the loyal statesman. Born in 1507 in Hackney in Middlesex. He was the son of a minor official who served prominent nobles. At just seven years old, he entered the household of Thomas Cromwell, where he received an exceptional education. Cromwell recognized Sadler’s potential and ensured that he was taught to read and write fluently in French, Latin, and Greek, while also acquiring practical skills in law and finance. Sadler also became talented in horseback riding, falconry, and other pursuits that were valued at court.

By the 1530s, Sadler had risen to become one of Cromwell’s closest and most trusted associates. He was instrumental in managing Cromwell’s personal and political affairs, almost like his secretary. And this trust translated into opportunities within Henry VIII’s court. Sadler became a gentleman of the privy chamber and was soon sent on sensitive diplomatic missions.

In 1537, he was dispatched to Scotland to address complaints made by Margaret Tudor, Henry VIII’s sister, about her husband. He later negotiated the proposed marriage between the infant Mary, Queen of Scots, and Prince Edward, an alliance aimed at uniting the two kingdoms. Which then, of course, never turned into anything, but it led to the rough wooing where England thought they could force Edward and Mary to get married.

Sadler’s diplomatic skill and level headedness impressed both Henry and James V of Scotland, who commented on what a good diplomat he was. Despite his close association with Cromwell, Sadler managed to survive his mentor’s dramatic fall from power in 1540. Though briefly imprisoned, Sadler quickly regained royal favor and resumed his role as one of Henry’s most trusted advisors.

During this period he did all kinds of things from overseeing military logistics to participating in the examination of Catherine Howard’s household during her fall from grace. Sadler’s political acumen Made sure that he remained a valuable figure at court even as the factions shifted around him.

Sadler would play a prominent role in the military campaigns against Scotland during the so called Rough Wooing. He was the treasurer of the army, and in 1547 he was knighted as a Banneret following the Battle of Pinkie, a rare honor acknowledging his contributions to the war effort. Sadler’s career spanned four Tudor reigns, but his service was not without personal challenges.

Sadler’s In 1545, Sadler faced a scandal when his wife, Ellen Mitchell was revealed to have been previously married to a man long thought dead. The resulting legal complications led to an Act of Parliament legitimizing their marriage and children, which just goes to show how much he was respected, his standing, and his influence.

During Mary’s reign, Sadler’s Protestant leanings forced him into semi retirement. However, Elizabeth I reinstated him as one of her trusted counselors. In the 1560s, he reluctantly served as a jailer to Mary, Queen of Scots, which he found deeply uncomfortable. Despite his personal misgivings, Sadler carried out his duties with responsibility and care.

He made sure that Mary was treated respectfully while also listening to Elizabeth’s very strict security measures. He died in 1587 at his estate in Standon in Hertfordshire. And he left behind a legacy as a devoted servant of the crown, a capable diplomat, and one of the wealthiest commoners in England.

His long career managed to span the reigns of four monarchs, and unlike Wriothesley, it showed his ability to maintain integrity and loyalty in an era defined by betrayal and ambition. I don’t really seem like a fan of Wriothesley to you, do I? I wonder if that’s coming through.

Richard Rich: The Unscrupulous Opportunist

Now let’s talk about Richard Rich, the unscrupulous opportunist. Born around 1496, Richard Rich began his career as a lawyer and climbed steadily through the ranks of Tudor politics. Though his origins were modest compared to many of his peers, Rich exhibited an exceptional talent for aligning himself with powerful patrons. First, Thomas Audley, and then later, Thomas Cromwell.

His skill in legal matters, combined with his willingness to take morally questionable actions, made him a valuable asset in the political climate of Henry’s court. His rise began in earnest when he was appointed Solicitor General in 1533, a position that placed him at the forefront of England’s religious and political transformation.

As Solicitor General, he played a significant role in enforcing Henry VIII’s Act of Supremacy, which of course severed England’s ties with the Catholic Church. He also assisted in the trials of Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher, where his testimony, based on alleged private conversations. was critical to their convictions.

Rich’s actions during these trials earned him a reputation for treachery. Moore famously called him a man always reputed, light of his tongue, a great dicer and gamester, and not of any commendable fame. Rich’s involvement in the disillusion of the monasteries also showed his opportunistic nature. Tasked with evaluating and overseeing the closure of religious institutions, he ensured that much of the wealth and the land flowed into his own hands.

Among his acquisitions was the Priory of St. Bartholomew in London, which he converted into a private estate. His newfound wealth and influence allowed him to solidify his position at court, even as Cromwell’s fortunes began to wane. In 1540, Rich, like Wriothesley, distanced himself from Cromwell as his mentor’s downfall became inevitable.

Aligning with the conservative faction at court, he played a part in Cromwell’s arrest and subsequent execution. This act of betrayal ensured his survival and allowed him to continue ascending through the ranks of government. His career reached its zenith under Edward VI when he was appointed Lord Chancellor in 1547.

In this role, he became a key figure in the enforcement of Protestant reforms. Isn’t that ironic, given he had first aligned with the Catholics? Though, his actions during this period were marked by continued moral ambiguity. He also personally participated in the torture of the Protestant martyr Anne Askew, which, like Wriothesley, showed his reputation for cruelty and self interest.

Despite his alignment with Protestant reformers during Edward’s reign, Rich seamlessly transitioned to serving Mary I, actively supporting the restoration of Catholicism. He played a significant role in the persecution of Protestants, again showing his adaptability to shifting political and religious tides without regard for personal consistency.

You gotta do what you gotta do, right? He retired from public life during Elizabeth’s reign, focusing on his estates and his family. His legacy, though, was already firmly established. As the founder of the Felstad School and the rich family dynasty, he left behind a substantial material and institutional footprint.

Yet, his name remains synonymous with duplicity, greed, and moral compromise. He died on June 12, 1567, at his estate in Rochford in Essex. While his wealth and political savvy ensured his success, his actions during his lifetime earned him enduring infamy as one of the most unprincipled figures of Tudor England.

Themes of Loyalty, Ambition, and Survival

The careers of Wriothesley, Sadler, and Richard Rich show the complexities of loyalty, ambition, and survival in Tudor England. As members of Cromwell’s inner circle, these men shared a proximity to power that came with immense opportunities and considerable risks. While their paths diverged dramatically, several unifying themes emerged from their lives.

First, loyalty to Cromwell and its limits. Each of these men owed at least part of their rise to Cromwell, whose mentorship provided access to the highest echelons of Tudor government. Sadler remained steadfast in his loyalty, even after Cromwell’s execution. He even endured personal and political challenges without compromising his principles.

By contrast, Wriothesley and Rich abandoned Cromwell when his influence waned. Wriothesley and Rich show the opportunism required to thrive in Tudor politics. Wriothesley’s swift alignment with Norfolk’s faction after Cromwell’s fall, and Rich’s ability to shift religious loyalties between Protestant and Catholic show their pragmatism.

Sadler, though less opportunistic, showed his adaptability in managing to get through decades of political upheaval across four monarchs. Ambition propelled all three of these men to extraordinary heights, but it often came at a cost. Wriothesley’s participation in acts of brutality, such as the torture of Anne Askew and Rich’s reputation for treachery and cruelty, tarnished their legacies.

Sadler’s career, while less morally compromised, still had its challenges, including the scandal involving his wife’s first marriage. Cromwell’s ability to cultivate and elevate talented men demonstrates the importance of patronage in Tudor England. These men’s fates were deeply tied to their patrons influence, and their ability to secure new alliances after Cromwell’s fall determined their survival.

Patronage not only facilitated their rise, but also showed the fragility of power when it depended on another’s favor. While Sadler is remembered as a loyal and capable statesman, Wriothesley and Rich are viewed more critically. Wriothesley’s betrayal of Cromwell and his ruthless actions as Lord Chancellor and Rich’s relentless self interest earned them reputations as symbols of the darker side of Tudor politics.

The lives of Wriothesley, Sadler, and Rich are a reminder of the human cost of power and the moral compromises that often accompanied survival in one of history’s most volatile courts. In the end, the careers of Wriothesley, Sadler, and Rich were shaped as much by their own ambitions as by the politics of Henry’s reign.

Whether through betrayal, loyalty, or opportunism, each found a way to survive a world where survival itself was no small feat. Their legacies may be mixed, but their influence on the Tudor court is undeniable. So there we have it, a little intro to Ralph Sadler, Richard Rich, and Thomas Wriothesley. What do you think?

Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast, the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.

She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).

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