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Primary sourceBookwritten c. 1554-1558, first printed 1641

The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey

George Cavendish · written c. 1554-1558, first printed 1641

A memoir by Wolsey's gentleman usher George Cavendish, an important early source for Anne Boleyn's life at court and her hostility toward Wolsey.

Cavendish knew Anne personally and recorded her romance with Henry Percy and her feud with Cardinal Wolsey.

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Front cover of a dark green or black bound book with a gold-stamped coat of arms centered on it. The arms show a cardinal's hat with tassels above a shield with crossed keys and a griffin or lion-like creature standing on a base. A tan cloth spine is visible at the left edge.
George Cavendish, The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey, written c. 1554-1558, first printed 1641.

About this source

What it is

Written by George Cavendish, gentleman-usher to Cardinal Wolsey, this biography was composed between 1554 and 1558 but could not be printed until long after. Cavendish knew Anne Boleyn personally from her early days at court in 1522.

Why it matters

Historians consider it the most important contemporary source for Wolsey's life, and it also gives a detailed picture of the Tudor court. Cavendish recorded Anne's broken romance with Henry Percy and her lasting hatred of Wolsey, who had opposed that match. He insisted she remained a virgin until marriage, despite rumours to the contrary, though he never forgave her hostility toward the cardinal.

Look closer

  • Why might a servant loyal to Wolsey describe Anne Boleyn in an unfavourable light?
  • What does this source reveal about rumour and reputation at the Tudor court?
  • How does an eyewitness account written years later differ from one written at the time?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Ann Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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