 Although the central tenets of Elton 's thesis have now been all but abandoned , it has consistently provided the starting point for much later work , including that of J. J. Scarisbrick , his student . Scarisbrick largely kept Elton 's regard for Cromwell 's abilities , but returned agency to Henry , who Scarisbrick considered to have ultimately directed and shaped policy . For Scarisbrick , Henry was a formidable , captivating man who " wore regality with a splendid conviction " . The effect of endowing Henry with this ability , however , was largely negative in Scarisbrick 's eyes : to Scarisbrick the Henrician period was one of upheaval and destruction and those in charge worthy of blame more than praise . Even among more recent biographers , including David Loades , David Starkey and John Guy , there has ultimately been little consensus on the extent to which Henry was responsible for the changes he oversaw or the correct assessment of those he did bring about . 
