Thomas Cromwell is now about fifty years old. He has a labourer's body, stocky, useful, running to fat. He has black hair, greying now, and because of his impermeable skin, which seems designed to resist rain as well as sun, people sneer that his father was an Irishman, though really he was a brewer and a blacksmith at Putney, a shearsman too, a man with a finger in every pie, a scrapper and a brawler, a drunk and a bully, a man often hauled before the justices for punching someone, for cheating someone. How the son of such a man has achieved his present eminence is a question all Europe asks.
Thomas Cromwell, now around fifty, possesses a stocky and laborious physique, showing signs of age. His once-black hair is greying, and his tough skin appears resilient against both weather elements. Due to these features and his father's Irish background, people disparage him, assuming he comes from humble and questionable origins. His father was a brewer and blacksmith known for his rough behavior, reputation for fighting, and frequent legal troubles, making Cromwell's rise to prominence a subject of curiosity across Europe.
Despite his father's dubious reputation, Cromwell has managed to attain significant status, raising eyebrows regarding how someone from such a background could reach such heights. His father's life was marked by struggle, brawling, and a penchant for trouble, yet Cromwell has transcended these origins, becoming influential in a complex political landscape. This contrast between father and son highlights the remarkable nature of Cromwell's journey and the societal perceptions that accompany his success.
