Thomas Cromwell

 was the chief advisor to Henry VIII. He advised the King to marry Anne of Cleves. (PROSE: God Send Me Well to Keep) As part of the purges of the monestries, he went to the abbey where Malvern was the abbot and took the piece of the Doomsday Chronometer. He was protected from being killed by River Song. He later met the Eighth Doctor and thought he could have been a courtier. He told the Doctor that he was looking for the clock as he wanted to stop the Pope from getting it. Arriving back in London he tortured the Doctor thinking he was part of a catholic sect. (AUDIO: The Eighth Piece) He told the Doctor that Risolva was looking for him and then let him leave. (AUDIO: The Doomsday Chronometer)

Behind the scenes
Cromwell was played by Andrew Keir in the London production of A Man for All Seasons, Danny Webb in Granada Television's Henry VIII and Ron Cook in The Other Boleyn Girl.