Fictional •
Matthew Shardlake – main character and narrator of the series, a barrister of
Lincoln's Inn and later
serjeant-at-law. Initially an adherent to the new
Anglican faith, and ever a religious thinker, he was once refused as a candidate for the priesthood due to his infirmity. •
Jack Barak – of Jewish descent and formerly Thomas Cromwell's henchman; after Cromwell's execution he comes to work for Shardlake as a law clerk and investigator. •
Stephen Bealknap – Shardlake's nemesis in the law courts of London; also a barrister of Lincoln's Inn. •
Vincent Dyrick – Shardlake's opposing barrister in several cases (
Heartstone, Lamentations); of
Gray's Inn. •
Dorothy Elliard – wife of Roger Elliard, and once a love interest of Shardlake's. •
Roger Elliard – Shardlake's best friend and fellow lawyer at Lincoln's Inn. •
Ellen Fettiplace – a woman who came originally from a small town in Sussex, she had been living in Bedlam, a lunatic asylum in London, for nearly two decades. •
Brother Guy, later
Guy Malton – a
Moor turned Christian monk at Scarnsea monastery at Sussex. After the dissolution of the monasteries he came to London to practice as an
apothecary, later as a physician; a target for racial discrimination because of his skin colour. •
Nicholas Overton – a gentleman and Shardlake's pupil in chambers. •
Tamasin Reedbourne – a confectioner and junior servant of queen
Catherine Howard. After the queen’s death Tamasin marries Barak. •
John Skelly – Shardlake's law clerk, a middle-aged family man with poor eyesight.
Non-fictional •
Henry VIII – King of England 1509–1547, later
Defender of the Faith and
Head of the Church of England. •
Anne Askew – Protestant preacher, reformist and martyr,
burnt at the stake in 1546. •
William Cecil – Barrister of Queen Catherine Parr's
Learned Counsel. •
Thomas Cranmer – archbishop of Canterbury 1533–1555, leader of
English Reformation. •
Thomas Cromwell – principal counsellor to Henry VIII and holder of a number of high state offices 1533–1540. •
Robert Kett – activist and leader of
Kett's Rebellion over the
enclosure of lands. •
Catherine Parr – sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, Queen of England 1543–1547. Reformist. •
William Paulet – nobleman and courtier, at one point Master of the
Court of Wards. •
Richard Rich – member of the Privy Council, Chancellor of the
Court of Augmentations and from 1547, Baron Rich of Leez. == Novels ==