Gardiner is also saddened by the deaths of the pro-Catholic Poles (who are executed by Henry in retribution for the actions of their exiled relative, Cardinal Reginald Pole) in episode 3.06, and takes their confessions. He is dismayed by Jane Seymour's death in 3.04, which puts Henry in such a state of grief that the Kingdom is left ungoverned, since none of the council are willing to take orders from Cromwell in Henry's absence. Gardiner, however, is pleased by Thomas Cromwell's fall from Henry's favor as a result of the Pilgrimage, as Cromwell is the last great voice of the Reformation after Anne Boleyn's execution. Gardiner hopes Henry will turn back to favoring Catholicism with Jane on the Throne and encourages her to speak to Henry on this, but the ' Pilgrimage of Grace' rebellion in the North causes Henry to angrily lash out against the Papacy. When the Pope casually dismisses this threat as a bluff, Gardiner looks worried, as like Wolsey he knows Henry is not bluffing.Īlthough Gardiner and Fox fail to provide decisive results, Henry later rewards Gardiner's efforts with one of Wolsey's bishoprics after the latter falls from power (though this is not shown in the series).īishop Gardiner is first shown in Season Three presiding over Henry and Jane Seymour's wedding in episode 3.01, and later speaking with Jane before her wedding night, giving her communion (since Jane is privately a Catholic, albeit a less judgemental one). Gardiner also passes the Pope a warning from Wolsey that the King will seek resolution by other means- potentially Protestant ones- if the Pope's answer fails to satisfy him. When he and Fox are sent to Italy in episode 1.07 the two shows Pope Clement all due respect, but nonetheless urge him to find in favor of the King when resolving the case, praising Anne Boleyn's supposed 'virtues' as a potential wife and disparraging rumors that Henry has already impregnated her. Like Wolsey, although he is a Catholic and despises the Protestant Reformation, Gardiner wishes to please the King. proximity." to which Wolsey replies, "Spoke like a true lawyer." diplomacy is nearly always settled by such. Gardiner warns Wolsey that the Emperor will still have more leverage, since "the swords of the King of England are much further away than those of the Emperor. Wolsey intends to send Gardiner and another lawyer, Edward Fox, to put the case directly to the Pope- who is now held under house arrest by the armies of Emperor Charles V, Catherine's nephew and a staunch opponent of the divorce. Alongside his future rival Cromwell, Gardiner acts as one of Wolsey's confidants when discussing the Pope's reluctance to resolve King Henry's "Great Matter" of divorcing Catherine of Aragon and re-marrying to Anne Boleyn. Gardiner briefly appears in Season One played by Alan Devine he is a lawyer and the secretary of Cardinal Wolsey, the King's First Minister. He remained in the Tower during King Edward VI's reign and was released when Mary Tudor became Queen and he was her Chancellor until his death in 1555. Henry eventually becomes tired and annoyed by Gardiner's ruthless efforts- which further fuel the schism of his kingdom and banishes him from court and later imprisons him. While careful to publicly acknowledge King Henry VIII as Head of the Church of England, in private Gardiner is presented as a fanatical Catholic who forms the backbone of the counter-Reformation, seeking to overturn Thomas Cromwell and locate and destroy those he considers 'heretics.' Once he becomes part of Henry's privy Council, he increasingly pushes this agenda along with his ally Thomas Wriothesley, as both of them are concerned that England's society and foreign policy are dependant on the country returning to Catholicism. Bishop Stephen Gardiner is the Bishop of Winchester in The Tudors, and appears in Seasons 3 and 4 played by late English actor Simon Ward (he also appears briefly in Season One played by a different actor).