Henry's new wife Jane urges him to reconcile with his daughter Mary while Robert Aske leads a pilgrimage of thousands against Cromwell's monastic reforms.
Forced to recant, Aske is hanged in Yorkshire, Cromwell coerces Brandon to execute more rebels as examples, and Jane suffers complications in childbirth.
While a grieving Henry remains in seclusion with his fool coming to grips with Jane's death, court intrigue turns to political assassination in his absence.