Bring Up the Bodies

Bring Up the Bodies
Hilary Mantel

The greatest literary sensation of recent times – and now the inspiration for a major BBC series, starring Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis and directed by Peter Kosminsky.Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2012.Continuing what began in the Man Booker Prize-winning WOLF HALL, we return to the court of Henry VIII.The volatile Anne Boleyn is now Queen, her career seemingly entwined with that of Cromwell. The split from the Catholic Church has left England dangerously isolated, and Anne has failed to give the king an heir. And when the King begins to fall in love with self-effacing Jane Seymour, the ever-pragmatic Cromwell must negotiate within an increasingly perilous court to satisfy Henry, defend the nation and, above all, to secure his own rise in the world. Neither minister nor king will emerge unscathed from the bloody theatre of Anne’s final days.An astounding literary accomplishment, BRING UP THE BODIES is the story of this most terrifying moment of history, by one of our greatest living novelists.

HILARY MANTEL

BRING UP

THE BODIES

Copyright (#u8c05453d-2ada-5dbd-9394-7254b4d515ff)

First published in Great Britain in 2012 by Fourth Estate

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street London SE1 9GF www.4thestate.co.uk (http://www.4thestate.co.uk)

Copyright © Tertius Enterprises 2012

Cover illustration by Andy Bridge

The right of Hilary Mantel to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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HB ISBN: 9780007315093

Limited edition HB ISBN: 9780007485598

TPB ISBN: 9780007353583

Ebook Edition © APRIL 2012 ISBN: 9780007477357

Version: 2016-06-22

Dedication (#u8c05453d-2ada-5dbd-9394-7254b4d515ff)

Once again to Mary Robertson: after my right harty commendacions, and with spede.

Epigraph (#u8c05453d-2ada-5dbd-9394-7254b4d515ff)

‘Am I not a man like other men? Am I not? Am I not?’

HENRY VIII to Eustache Chapuys, Imperial ambassador

Contents

Cover (#u88a3b6db-19a5-5fe0-8034-fc0115fe3e7e)

Title Page (#u982bf58e-829f-550f-9818-8114ba860ca4)

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Cast of Characters

Family Trees

PART ONE

Chapter I - Falcons. September 1535

Chapter II - Crows. Autumn 1535

Chapter III - Angels. Christmas 1535–New Year 1536

PART TWO

Chapter I - The Black Book. January–April 1536

Chapter II - Master of Phantoms. April–May 1536

Chapter III - Spoils. Summer 1536

Back Ads (#litres_trial_promo)

Author’s Note

Acknowledgements

Also by Hilary Mantel

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Cast of Characters (#u8c05453d-2ada-5dbd-9394-7254b4d515ff)

The Cromwell household

Thomas Cromwell, a blacksmith’s son: now Secretary to the king, Master of the Rolls, Chancellor of Cambridge University, and deputy to the king as head of the church in England.

Gregory Cromwell, his son.

Richard Cromwell, his nephew.