Attainder Bill/Treason Indictment Against Thomas Howard the Lesser (Hampton Court, 1538)

The Treason Indictment Against Thomas Howard the Lesser is the legal document Henry orders Cromwell to draft, framing Howard’s secret marriage to Lady Margaret Douglas as a devil-inspired plot to elevate the Howards closer to the throne. This indictment is not yet written, but its creation is a direct result of Henry’s paranoia and his desire to destroy any perceived threat to his authority. The document is a weapon—its language will be carefully crafted to portray Howard as a traitor, using religious rhetoric to justify his downfall. Cromwell’s silence in the face of Henry’s hint about Norfolk’s involvement suggests he may withhold or alter the indictment to serve his own political ends, making this object a battleground for power between the king and his chief minister.

The treason indictment against Thomas Howard the Lesser is ordered by Henry VIII as a direct response to the secret marriage scandal. Henry demands that the indictment explicitly state that Howard the Lesser was 'inspired by the devil,' framing the marriage as a treasonous act driven by supernatural malevolence. This indictment is a legal weapon, designed to justify the King’s wrath and provide a pretext for suppressing the Howards’ ambitions. Cromwell is tasked with drafting it, though he remains silent on the broader implication that Norfolk may be involved. The indictment is not physically present but is invoked as a tool of the King’s authority, symbolizing the court’s ability to weaponize the law against its enemies.