Book and Series
- Cardinal Wolsey referring to his protege as "my own entirely beloved Cromwell."
- When the various clerks are rifling through York Place and making an account of the Cardinal's possessions as they claim them for Henry, Cromwell fights the urge to grab a quill and write Thomas Wolsey is a man beyond price over their inventories.
- Cromwell's steadfast refusal to abandon the Cardinal no matter how dim the prospect of reconciliation with Henry becomes. He even admits privately that if he were to give himself a piece of advice for the New Year, it would be to leave Wolsey behind rather than risk falling with him... but then he wouldn't give advice to a man who won't listen.
- Cromwell sends a kindly gift of needlework patterns to Jane Seymour; serving Anne is a trial and her family life is somewhat a shambles thanks to her father's behavior. Her brothers later say that she's been going around Wolf Hall telling people "these are Thomas Cromwell's sleeves" and used the blue wrapping he sent them in to make them. (In the series, a close look shows that she's still using the pattern even though Henry's attentions have dissolved any possibility of Master Secretary starting a relationship.)
- When Gregory has his first joust, Cromwell frets like any father would, especially since his work won't allow him to be there, and asks Henry to please not unhorse him. Henry assures him that Gregory will make a good showing, but that's not really his concern."I don't really mind what showing he makes. I just don't want him to be flattened."
Book
- The birth of Cromwell and Liz's first child, Gregory. The first thing Cromwell does is kiss his forehead and promise that he will be everything his own father wasn't. He goes so far in trying to be the reverse of Walter that Liz actually scolds him for doing things like warming up Gregory's shirt in front of the fire because she thinks he'll always expect it and be spoiled; even then Cromwell's thought is "well why shouldn't he expect it."
- Cromwell's attitude towards Gregory in general. He's troubled sometimes that Gregory seems intimidated; that and Gregory's lack of his father's sharp wit makes it difficult to carry on a conversation. But whenever Cromwell has a free moment to consider his son he feels nothing but love and even pride that he is so different, because he thinks Gregory is growing up to be a true gentleman.
- Cromwell thinking of Wolsey not just as master and mentor but as his father.
- When he's elevated to baron, Cromwell puts black birds on his coat of arms as a tribute to the birds on Wolsey's old colors.
- Henry might be disappointed in not having a son, but Anne loves Elizabeth dearly and there are several times when she'd clearly prefer to be mothering her daughter herself rather than leaving it in the hands of the nurses. When Cromwell is sorting out the debts she left behind, a significant one is for the embroiderer who worked on the princess' caps and bed hangings.
- Mixed up with Tear Jerker, after Cromwell asks all his remaining friends and family to distance themselves from him after being imprisoned, Christophe names himself "Christophe Cremuel" in his Dying Curse on Henry.
Series
- Shortly after the deaths of Liz, Anne, and Grace Cromwell, Richard Williams—Cromwell's nephew—asks if he can change his name, as Cromwell has raised him like a son. They have a conversation about grief where Richard says he lights a candle for his father every day and Cromwell asks if that comforts him, in a way that could be taken as dismissive. Richard admits he doesn't know. After a moment, Cromwell says "This comforts me, Richard Cromwell."
- After Cromwell is dragged across London in the middle of the night to read Henry's dreams, Rafe, Gregory, and Richard laugh and joke in relief to see him return safe and sound from what had appeared to be an arrest. Bishop Cranmer makes a simple observation:"Your children love you."
- When Cromwell falls ill, Rafe stays at his bedside throughout the night, holding his hand as he's wracked with fever dreams.
