Even giving Henry Hampton Court has not been enough and Cardinal Wolsey knows it. Can see his influence slipping further and further away by the day, especially since the Queen has given birth to two healthy and robust sons and her father has successfully negotiated a treaty that has greatly increased the size of the kings treasury. Now the Boleyns can do no wrong at all and what is worse? The Queen has won the love and gratitude of the common folk for her charity work, for her kindness to the former Queen and her daughter and for the careful way she has introduced reforms.

Enough is enough. The Cardinal must do something. As it turns out what he does is to have Thomas Boleyn spied upon. And what he finds is entirely and completely unexpected. The man it turns out, has not only been harbouring reformers (and indeed outright Lutherans) but has also been benefiting from Jewish money. And in return has been hiding a Jewish community right in the heart of London, it seems. (Apparently Boleyn's forebears had been merchants who had helped to import certain Jewish goods - Wolsey is certain that they have also imported much in the way of gold and evil in the kingdom in equal measure).

And here, here is his chance. He cannot touch the Queen, he knows that (though perhaps his plan of using a woman who can become Henry's mistress can still be used if needed to lessen her influence) - she has given the king two sons and is pregnant again and Henry will not repudiate the mother of his son but he can certainly crush her father and through that he will be able to destroy the Jewish stain that has crept back into England.

That this will also include the benefit of the principal treasures of the Jews being presented to Henry and his treasury which will restore him to Henry's good graces is the crowning glory (and perhaps the Queen will die in childbed and Wolsey can find Henry a new and pliable wife and the princes can be properly influenced). All he has to do is gather the right evidence.

And he turns to Thomas Cromwell to do it.

Thomas Cromwell was taught by his mother - how to keep Shabbat, how to pray and even how to read (though she was not supposed to know such things). And above all how to stay hidden - it was a lesson he had learned in his bones from dodging his father's fists. So he has always been able to stay hidden and deeply so.

When he hears what the Cardinal wishes him to do Cromwell cannot steady his hands. Cannot stop shaking at the fear. He has faced battle many times and he has navigated the slippery waters of the royal court but this? This is facing the prospect of massacred children, massacred families. A people once again murdered and driven away from the community they had built. And then he wonders if he is willing to chance the rumours about the Queen and her family being true. And even if they are, what can she do without endangering herself?

In the end he slips a letter under the door of Thomas Boleyn and prepares another letter for the Queen in case the first is not acted upon. He has done and will do many things for the King but this? This he cannot do.

When her father brings her the letter (a letter that he has verified by various means) Queen Anne rests her hands on her growing belly and thinks of her children. Thinks whether she can do this when it is not just her who will bear the cost. Whether she has the courage after all.

She tries to pray and finds herself fumbling, all at sea and entirely unsure. And then she thinks of her children again. Of her family and their friends, of the little community that has found something of safety in this land and of what could be lost. And of what she needs to do and the chance, just the chance that perhaps her children and all the other Jewish children in England may be able to be a little safer. For this she will do this.

And so Queen Anne sends a message asking whether her husband would like to dine with her in her rooms this night. When he arrives she smiles and makes sure his favourite dishes are set before him and they talk of all kinds of things before Anne asks her question. She asks if his majesty would not vow to protect her and their children from all harm and all who would harm them - no matter who it may be.

"I will, sweetheart. I always will. I swear before God and the saints that I will always keep you safe and treasured...but why do you speak so my own darling? Has someone tried to hurt you?"

The anger in his voice at the thought that someone might hurt her gives Anne some hope at least and she simply smiles and says that her pregnancy is making her worry but that, perhaps, they might have the Cardinal to dine with them for spiritual counsel and for blessing?

King Henry agrees with his Queen.

In the two days between there is a thread that runs through the Jewish community in London. A whisper of hanging upon the edge of destruction or perhaps, by the mercy of G-d and the Queen something new. And so, the Jews of England fast and pray and ask G-d for his blessing in all Queen Anne does.

In the two days between Cardinal Wolsey is well satisfied by the invitation to dine (perhaps the Queen is not so unreceptive to his advice after all) and has drawn up the order to seize the assets of the Jews and to destroy them. It only awaits the Kings signature and seal and it will be done and the Cardinal will be well favoured by both earthly and divine powers. And so the Cardinal prays and asks for the blessing of the Lord to destroy those Jews.

In the two days between the Queen has prayed. She has kissed her children goodbye and told them she loves them. She has asked her rabbi to stay with them, to teach them and to guide them if something should happen to her. And she has asked G-d to be kind and to guide her steps and her strength.

And so the Queen, the King and the Cardinal come to dine together. And the Queen says, your majesty did you not vow to protect me from those who would harm me? And the King replied that yes he did and he will. Well, said the Queen pointing to the Cardinal - there sits one who would do me a great harm for he would kill my people. But I only wish to destroy the Jews, said the Cardinal - it would enrich the treasury of your majesties a great deal.

"But I am of that people, Cardinal. I am a Jew" said the Queen. "And you would harm me and destroy the Princes of England who are also of that people. And I would have protection for my people, who have been much maligned and persecuted. Will you keep to your vow, my husband?"

And the King said that yes he would and he took the Queen in his arms and roared for the guards to arrest the cardinal and thus was a great enemy of the Jewish people destroyed and the Jews praised G-d and the Queen also thanked G-d for speaking through her and making England a place in which the Jewish people could reside in safety and protection.