A Man for All Seasons (1966) - full transcript

Every second bastard born
is fathered by a priest.

But in Utopia that couldn't be.

For why?

For there the priests
are very holy.

Therefore very few.

Is it anything
interesting, Matthew?

- Bless you, sir. I don't know.
- Bless you too, Matthew.

To be sure, we have some
holy priests in England.

- Oh, name some.
- Brother James.

Man's a simpleton.

It's from Cardinal Wolsey.



What's he want?

- Me.
- When?

Now.

In Hampton Court? You won't
be there by midnight.

- The King's business.
- Queen's business.

Mistress Anne Boleyn's business.

Well, it's all the
Cardinal's business.

That's very true. And
when the Cardinal

calls, you all come
running, day or night.

What is the man? A butcher's son.

Chancellor of England, too.

No, that's his office.
What's the man?

Surely, Your Grace, when a man
rises so high and so swiftly...

we must think he was
misplaced in his origins.



That, at least, was the
opinion of Aristotle and...

A butcher's son and looks it.

His looks, yes, I
give you his looks.

What was that you said, Richard?

Nothing, Sir Thomas,
it was out of place.

And Wolsey's still a butcher.

And you're a member of the King's
High Council, not an errand boy.

That is why I must go.

The Duke would go if the
Cardinal called him.

I might.

I'll be back for breakfast.

Go to bed.

"Dear Lord, give us rest tonight,

or if we must be
wakeful, cheerful.

"Careful only for our soul's

salvation. For
Christ's sake. Amen."

And bless our lord, the King.

- "And bless our lord, the King."
- Amen.

Excuse me, gentlemen.
Goodnight, Your Grace.

Keep clear of Wolsey, Thomas.
He's a frightened man.

- Who is that?
- A young friend from Cambridge.

What's he want?

What do they all want? A position.

- Can you give him a position?
- Do you recommend him?

No.

- Sir Thomas.
- No.

- Did you recommend me?
- No.

Richard, I may have
a position for you.

- What? What position?
- Not now, Richard. Tomorrow.

For you all, boatman.

Thank you, sir.

Sir Thomas is here,
Your Grace. Sir Thomas.

Master Cromwell.

You opposed me in the Council
this morning, Thomas.

Yes, Your Grace.

- You were the only one.
- Yes, Your Grace.

You're a fool.

Thank God there is only
one fool on the Council.

Why did you oppose me?

I thought Your Grace was wrong.

A matter of conscience.

You're a constant
regret to me, Thomas.

If you could just see
facts flat on...

without that horrible
moral squint.

With a little common sense, you
could have made a statesman.

The King.

Where's he been? Do you know?

I, Your Grace?

Spare me your discretion.

He's been to play
in the muck again.

He's been to Mistress Anne Boleyn.

More, are you going to help me?

If Your Grace will be specific.

You're a plodder. All
right, we'll plod.

The King wants a son. What are
you going to do about it?

I'm very sure the
King needs no advice

from me on what to do about it.

Thomas, we're alone. I give you
my word, there's no one here.

I didn't suppose there
was, Your Grace.

Do you favour a
change of dynasty? Do

you think two Tudors
are sufficient?

For God's sake, Your Grace.

Then he needs a son. I repeat,
what are you going to do about it?

I pray for it daily.

God's death, he means it.

That thing out there,
at least she's fertile.

- But she's not his wife.
- No, Catherine's his wife...

and she's barren as a brick. Are
you going to pray for a miracle?

There are precedents.

All right. Good.
Pray by all means.

But in addition to
prayer there is effort.

And my effort is to
secure a divorce.

Have I your support,
or have I not?

The Pope gave a dispensation,
so that the King might marry...

his brother's widow
for state reasons.

We are to ask the
Pope to dispense with

his dispensation, also
for state reasons?

I don't like plodding,
Thomas. Well?

Then, clearly all
we have to do is to

approach His Holiness and ask him.

I think we might influence the
decision of His Holiness.

By argument?

Argument certainly. And pressure.

Pressure, applied
to the Church? The

Church has its church property.

Pressure.

No, Your Grace, I'm not
going to help you.

Then goodnight, Master More.

Let the dynasty die
with Henry VIII

and we'll have
dynastic wars again.

Blood-witted barons ramping
the country from end to end.

Is that what you want? Very well.

England needs an heir.

Certain measures,
perhaps regrettable...

perhaps not, there's
much in the Church

which needs reformation, Thomas.

All right, regrettable. But
necessary to get us an heir.

Now, explain how you,
as a councillor of

England, can obstruct
these measures...

for the sake of your own
private conscience.

I think that when
statesmen forsake

their own private conscience...

for the sake of their
public duties...

they lead their country by
a short route to chaos.

And we shall have my
prayers to fall back on.

You'd like that, wouldn't you? To
govern the country with prayers?

Yes, I should.

I'd like to be there when you try.

Who will wear this after me?

Who's our next chancellor?
You? Fisher? Suffolk?

- Fisher for me.
- Aye, but for the King?

What about my secretary,
Master Cromwell?

Cromwell. He's a very able man.

But?

Me rather than Cromwell.

Then, come down to earth.

Until you do...

you and I are enemies.

As Your Grace wishes.

As God wills.

Perhaps, Your Grace.

More. You should
have been a cleric.

Like yourself, Your Grace?

Goodnight, Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

What's this?

From some grateful poor
folk, in Leicester.

Leicester?

You do more good
than you know, sir.

My daughter has a case, sir, in
the Court of Poor Man's Causes.

Baked apples, sir.

To sweeten my judgement.

I'll give your daughter the same
judgement I would give my own.

A fair one, quickly.

Bless you, sir.

I understand. Yes. I'll
read it. Yes. Thank you.

Good evening, Sir Thomas.

- I'll read it.
- It's an awkward case.

- I could illuminate it for you...
- I'll read it.

Just a moment or two...

Boat.

Sir?

Chelsea, sir?

Chelsea.

I expect you'll make it
worth my while, sir.

You've got a licence?

Bless you, yes sir,
I've got a licence.

- Well then, the fares are fixed.
- They are, sir.

Hampton to Chelsea downstream,
a penny halfpenny.

Chelsea to Hampton upstream,
a penny halfpenny.

Whoever makes the regulations
doesn't row a boat.

No. Three pence if you get
me home for breakfast.

Thank you, sir.

A nice cup, sir.

Yes.

That's worth money, sir.

Mind a way, sir.

Thank you, sir.

- Have you been here all night?
- Yes.

You said there was a post?

Yes. I'll offer you a post, with a
house, a servant and £50 a year.

What post?

At the new school.

A teacher.

Richard, no one's going to
give you a place at court.

Master Cromwell says he'll
do something for me.

Cromwell?

Well, if you know Cromwell
you don't need my help.

Sir Thomas?

If only you knew how much, much
rather, I had your help than his.

Not to a place at court.

Why not?

Look.

- What is it?
- It's a bribe.

"I am the gift of Averil Machin."

And Averil Machin has a lawsuit
in the Court of Requests.

Italian silver. Take it. No joke.

Thank you.

What will you do with it?

Sell it.

- And buy what?
- A decent gown.

But Richard, that's
a little bribe.

At court they offer
you all sorts of

things, home, manor
houses, coats of arms.

A man should go where
he won't be tempted.

Why not be a teacher? You'd be a
fine teacher. Perhaps a great one.

- If I was, who would know it?
- You. Your pupils. Your friends.

God. Not a bad public, that.

And a quiet life.

You say that. You come from
talking with the Cardinal.

Yes, talking with the Cardinal.

It's eating your heart out, isn't
it? The high affairs of state.

The divorce?

Boatman.

Sir?

Take this gentleman
to the New Inn.

Right, sir.

Sir Thomas?

Thank you.

Be a teacher.

- Matthew.
- Sir.

- Lady Alice in bed?
- Yes, sir.

- Lady Margaret?
- No, sir.

The Master Roper's here, sir.

At this hour? Who let him in?

He's a hard man to keep out, sir.

Will wants to marry me, Father.

Well, he can't marry you.

Sir Thomas, I'm called to the Bar.

Oh, congratulations, Roper.

My family may not be at the
palace, but in the city...

There's nothing wrong
with your family, Will.

There's not much wrong with you.

Except you seem to need a clock.

I can buy a clock, sir.

Roper, the answer is no...

and will be no as long
as you're a heretic.

Now, that's a word I
don't like, Sir Thomas.

It's not a likeable word or thing.

The Church is
heretical. Dr Luther's

proved that to my satisfaction.

Luther is an excommunicate.

From a heretic Church.
Church? It's a shop.

Salvation by the
shilling. And divorces.

Will, no.

- What I know, I'll say.
- You've no sense of the place.

He's no sense of the time.

Now listen well.

Two years ago you were a
passionate churchman.

Now you're a passionate Lutheran.

We must just pray that when
your head's finished turning...

your face is to the front again.

- Is your horse here?
- No, sir, I walked.

Well, take a horse from the
stables and get back home.

Go along.

May I come again?

Yes. Soon.

Is that final, Father?

As long as he's a heretic,
Meg, that's absolute.

What did Wolsey want?

Nice boy, young Will.

Terribly strong
principles, though.

Clumsy, too.

- You're very pensive.
- You're very gay.

Was it the divorce?

To bed.

They're a cantankerous
lot, the Ropers.

Always swimming
against the stream.

Old Roper was just the same...

You don't want to talk about it.

No.

I'm sorry you were
awakened, chick.

I wasn't sleeping very deeply.

What did Wolsey want?

- Will Roper's been.
- Will Roper?

Yes, he's been here all
night. He wants to marry Meg.

Why you don't beat that girl I...

No.

She's full of education and
it's a delicate commodity.

Goodnight, Meg.

Goodnight.

Marry Meg. A lawyer's son.

Well, she's a lawyer's daughter.

Norfolk spoke of
you for Chancellor

of England before he left.

Well, he's a dangerous
friend then.

Wolsey's chancellor, God help him.

But Norfolk said, if
Wolsey fell, you...

If Wolsey fell, the splash would
swamp a few small boats like ours.

No.

There'll be no new chancellors
while Wolsey lives.

The Duke of Norfolk,
Earl Marshal of England.

Have you any message
for His Majesty?

If I had served God...

one half so well as
I've served my King...

God would not have left me
here, to die in this place.

Thank God you're
dying here. The King

would have you die in the Tower.

"I am straightly charged
by the King himself...

"here openly to declare
how much all England...

"is beholden to this man.

"And how worthy he is to have
the highest room in the realm.

"And how dearly the King's grace
doth love and trust him...

"not only for much good council...

"deliberate council, but
for better council yet...

"that which is privy
to the King's person.

"This same, Sir Thomas More...

"here made before you all to be...

"Lord Chancellor of the Realm."

Calm yourself, Matthew.

Fetch Lady Alice.

That's very well.

My lady. The King.

Now remember, the
visit's a surprise.

But he'll know we're
expecting him...

It's a very great honour. One
friend calling on another.

What's he really coming for?

To talk about the divorce.
He wants an answer.

- But he's had his answer.
- He wants another.

Thomas.

Your Majesty does my
house more honour

than I fear my
household will bear.

No ceremony Thomas, no ceremony.

A passing fancy. I happened
to be on the river.

Look. Mud.

By heaven, what an evening.

Lady Alice, I fear we came
upon you unexpectedly.

Yes, Your Grace. Well,
no, Your Grace.

Well, that is, we are
ready to entertain...

This is my daughter
Margaret, sire.

She's not yet had the
honour to meet Your Grace.

Why Margaret, they told
me you were a scholar.

Answer, Margaret.

Among women, I pass
for one, Your Grace.

Is your Latin the old
Latin, or Oxford Latin?

My father’s Latin, Sire.

Good. That is the best. And
has he taught you Greek too?

Not my father, Sire,
but my father’s

friend, John Colet, Dean of St.
Paul’s.

But it is with the Greek as
it is with the Latin; the

skill of the master is lost
in the pupil’s lack of it.

Can you dance, too?

Not well, Your Grace.

Well, I dance superlatively.

That's a dancer's leg, Margaret.

Lady Alice, the river's
given me an appetite.

If Your Grace would share
a very simple supper.

It would please me. Lead them in.

Thomas and I will follow.

Matthew.

My lords and gentlemen.

Margaret?

Your Grace?

Do you like music?

Yes, Your Grace.

They'll play to you.

Now, listen to this.

Sit down.

Be seated. No courtship, Thomas.

You're my friend, are you not?

Your Majesty.

Thank God I have a friend
for my chancellor.

Readier to befriend, I trust,
than he was to be chancellor.

My own knowledge of
my poor abilities...

I will judge of your abilities.

Thomas?

You know that Wolsey named
you for chancellor?

Before he died, Wolsey named
you, and Wolsey was no fool.

He was a statesman of
incomparable ability, Your Grace.

Was he?

Was he so?

Then, why did he fail me?

It was villainy then.

Yes, villainy. Secret
opposition, secret.

But deliberate, wilful,
meditated opposition.

Wanted to be pope to
master me, Wolsey.

What is it? Thought.

Because I'm simple
and plain and deal

with every man straightforwardly.

Because of that I say, do
they take me for a simpleton?

Wolsey was a proud man, Thomas.

Pride right through.

And he failed me.

Failed me in the one thing
that matters, then as now.

But look.

Be seated.

What an evening.

A man could fight a lion.

Some men could, Your Grace.

Thomas...

touching this matter
of my divorce.

Have you thought of it
since we last spoke?

Of little else.

Then you see your way clear to me?

That you should put away
Queen Catherine, sire?

Alas, as I think of it,
I see so clearly...

that I cannot come with Your
Grace, that my endeavour is...

not to think of it at all.

Then you haven't thought enough.

Lilac.

We have them at Hampton.

Not so fine as this, though.

I'm in an excellent frame of mind.

Thomas, you must consider, I
stand in peril of my soul.

It was no marriage.

I have lived in incest
with my brother's widow.

Leviticus: "Thou shalt
not uncover the

nakedness of thy brother's wife."

Leviticus. Chapter 18, verse 16.

Yes, Your Grace.
But Deuteronomy...

Deuteronomy is ambiguous.

Your Grace, I'm not fitted
to meddle in these matters.

To me, it seems a matter
for the Holy See...

Thomas, does a man need a pope
to tell him where he's sinned?

It was a sin.

God's punished me.

I've no son.

Son after son she's borne me.

All dead at birth, or
dead within the month.

I never saw the hand of
God so clear in anything.

It's my bounden duty
to put away the Queen.

And all the popes,
back to Peter, shall

not come between me and my duty.

How is it that you cannot
see? Everyone else does.

Then, why does Your Grace
need my poor support?

Because you're honest.

And what is more to the purpose,
you're known to be honest.

Those like Norfolk follow me
because I wear the crown.

Those like Cromwell follow because

they're jackals
with sharp teeth...

and I'm their tiger.
A mass follows me...

because it follows
anything that moves.

And then there's you.

I am sick to think how much I
must displease Your Grace.

No, Thomas, I respect
your sincerity.

But respect...

man, that's water in the desert.

How'd you like our music?

That air they played,
it had a certain...

Well, tell me what
you thought of it.

Could it have been
Your Grace's own?

Discovered.

Now I'll never know your true
opinion, and that's irksome.

Well, we artists, we love praise,
yet we love truth better.

Then I will tell my true opinion.

Well?

To me it seemed delightful.

Thomas, I chose the right
man for chancellor.

I should in fairness
add that my taste

in music is reputedly deplorable.

Your taste in music is excellent.

It exactly coincides with my own.

Music.

Music.

Send them back without
me, Thomas. I'll

live here in Chelsea
and make music.

My house is at Your
Grace's disposal.

Touching this other
business, mark you...

I'll have no opposition.

Your Grace.

No opposition, I
say. No opposition.

Be seated.

I'll leave you out of it
but you are my chancellor.

I don't take it kindly and
I'll have no opposition.

I see how it will be.

The bishops will oppose me.

The full-fed princes
of the Church.

Hypocrites. All hypocrites.

Mind they do not
take you in, Thomas.

Your Grace is unjust.

If I cannot serve Your Grace in
this great matter of the Queen.

I have no queen.

Catherine's not my wife.

No priest can make her so.

They that say she is my wife are
not only liars, but traitors.

Yes, traitors.

That I will not brook now.

Treachery.

I will not brook.

It maddens me.

It is a deadly canker in the body
politic, and I will have it out.

See?

You see how you've maddened me?

I hardly know myself.

If you could come with me, there's
no man I'd sooner raise...

yes, with my own hand.

Your Grace overwhelms me.

What's that?

Eight o'clock, Your Grace.

Lift yourself up, man.

Have I not promised I'll
leave you out of it?

Shall we eat?

If Your Grace pleases.

Eight o'clock, you said.

The tide will be turning.

I was forgetting the
tide. I must go.

I'm sorry, Your Grace.

If I don't catch the tide I'll
not get back to Richmond.

No, don't come.

Lady Alice, I must
go and catch the

tide. Affairs call me to court.

So we give you our thanks
and we say goodnight.

What's this?

- You crossed him.
- Somewhat.

- Why?
- I couldn't find the other way.

You're too nice
altogether, Thomas.

- Woman, mind your house.
- I am minding my house.

God save Your Majesty.

God save Your Grace.

God save the King.

Lift.

Drop blades.

Sire. Sire. Sire.

Are you coming my way, Rich?

No.

I think you should, you know.

I can't tell you anything.

Well?

Thomas?

Stay friends with him.

Whatever may be done by smiling,
you may rely on me to do.

Set your mind at rest.

This is not the stuff of
which martyrs are made.

Good evening, sir, Lady Alice.

Will wants to talk to you, Father.

I told him it wouldn't
be convenient.

You were quite right.

You're very free with my
daughter's hand, Roper.

Yes.

It's of that I wish to speak.

Sir, you've had a disagreement
with His Majesty.

- Have I?
- So Meg tells me.

I offer my congratulations.

If it's true, is it a
matter for congratulation?

Yes.

Sir, when last I asked you
for your daughter's hand...

you objected to my
unorthodox opinions.

- I did.
- Yes.

Well, since then my views
have somewhat modified.

Well, that's good hearing, Will.

Mind you, I modify
nothing concerning

the various corruptions
in the Church.

Quite right.

But an attack upon the
Church herself...

no. I see behind that
an attack on God.

- Roper.
- The Devil's work...

to be done by the
Devil's ministers.

For heaven's sake,
remember my office.

If you stand on your office...

No, I don't stand on it, but there
are certain things I may not hear.

Sir Thomas.

Richard?

I fell.

Lady Alice.

- Lady Margaret.
- Good evening.

Do you know William
Roper, the younger?

By reputation, of course.

- Good evening, Master...
- Rich.

You've heard of me?

Yes.

In what connection? I don't
know what you can have heard.

I sense that I'm not welcome here.

Why Richard? Have you done
something to make you not welcome?

Cromwell is asking questions.

About you. He's always
asking questions

about you and your opinions.

Of whom?

Of him, for one. That's
one of his sources.

Of course. That's
one of my servants.

All right, Matthew.

Well, you look at me as
though I were an enemy.

Why Richard, you're shaking.

Help me.

How?

Employ me.

No.

- Employ me.
- No.

I would be faithful.

You couldn't answer for yourself
even so far as tonight.

Arrest him.

- For what?
- He's dangerous.

- Libel. He's a spy.
- That man's bad.

- There's no law against that.
- God's law.

- Then God can arrest him.
- While you talk, he's gone.

Go he should, if he were the
Devil, until he broke the law.

Now you give the Devil
benefit of law.

Yes, what would you do?

Cut a road through the law
to get after the Devil?

Yes. I'd cut down every law
in England to do that.

And when the last law was down,
and the Devil turned on you...

where would you hide, Roper,
the laws all being flat?

This country is planted with
laws from coast to coast...

Man's laws, not God's, and
if you cut them down...

and you're just the
man to do it...

do you really think
you could stand

upright in the wind
that would blow then?

Yes.

I give the Devil benefit of
law for my own safety's sake.

- Master Rich?
- Yes.

In there, sir.

Rich? Come in.

Taken you long enough to get here.

Have I kept you waiting?

Months.

- Here.
- Thank you.

Do you know the news?

- What news?
- Sir Thomas Paget is retiring.

And I succeed him.

Secretary to the Council?

You?

'Tis surprising, isn't it?

I mean, one sees that's logical.

Sit down, Rich. No
ceremony, no courtship...

as His Majesty would say.

You see how I trust you.

I'd never repeat or
report a thing like that.

What kind of thing would
you repeat or report?

Nothing said in friendship.

Do you believe that?

- Why, yes.
- No, seriously.

Well, yes.

Rich, seriously.

That would depend
what I was offered.

Don't say it just to please me.

It's true. It would depend
what I was offered.

Well, there is
another post vacant.

Collector of Revenues for York.

Is it in your gift?

Effectively.

What must I do for it?

I know a man who wants
to change his woman.

Normally a matter of small
importance, but in this case...

it's our liege, Lord Henry,
the eighth of that name.

Which is a quaint way
of saying that if

he wants to change
his woman, he will.

And our job as administrators...

is to minimise the inconvenience
which this is going to cause.

That's our only job, Rich, to

minimise the
inconvenience of things.

A harmless occupation
you would say, but no.

We administrators are
not liked, Rich.

We are not popular.

I say "we" on the
assumption you'll

accept the post at
York I've offered you.

Yes.

It's a bad sign when people are

depressed by their
own good fortune.

- I'm not depressed.
- You look depressed.

I was lamenting. I've
lost my innocence.

Some time ago. Have you
only just noticed?

Your friend, our present
Lord Chancellor,

now there's an innocent man.

The odd thing is, he is.

Yes, I say he is. Unhappily...

his innocence is tangled
up in this problem...

that you can't change your
woman without a divorce...

and you can't get a divorce
unless the Pope says so.

And from this meaningless
circumstance,

I foresee a certain measure of...

- Inconvenience?
- Just so.

This goblet he gave you,
how much was it worth?

Come along, he gave you a silver

goblet. How much did
you get for it?

Fifty shillings.

It was a gift, wasn't it,
from a litigant, a woman?

- Yes.
- Which court? Chancery?

Don't get drunk.

Which court was the
litigant's case?

Court of Requests.

There. That wasn't
too painful, was it?

- No.
- No.

And you'll find it
easier, next time.

My Lord Archbishop, my lords...

Reverend Doctors of the Church.

The answer of our
liege, Lord Henry...

to his trusty
well-beloved subjects...

pontiffs in the
Canterbury Convocation.

"His Majesty...

"acknowledges your
humble admission

of many grievous errors...

"for which he accepts...

"the manumission of
£100,000 in token.

"Mindful for the
well-being of the realm

and the quietness
of his subjects...

"His Majesty requires
that you do now

straightly renounce
your pretended...

"allegiance to the See of Rome.

"And admit the statute
passed through parliament...

"acknowledging the
King's good title...

"Supreme Head of the
Church in England."

Well, my lords,
what's your answer?

Yea or nay?

His Majesty accepts your
resignation very sadly.

He's mindful of your
goodness and past loyalty.

And in any matter
concerning your honour

and welfare he'll
continue your good lord.

You will convey my
humble gratitude.

- Help me with this.
- Not I.

- Alice?
- No.

Sun and moon, Master More, you're

taken for a wise
man. Is this wisdom?

To betray your ability...

abandon your station and forget
your duty to your kith and kin?

Shall I, sir?

No, thank you, son Roper.

Margaret...

will you?

Yes.

If you want.

There's my clever girl.

Well done, sir. In my opinion,
that thing's a degradation.

I'll tell you my opinion of
the King's title, too...

Don't. Will, silence. Remember,
you have a wife now...

and may have children.

All right, Thomas,
make me understand...

because I tell you, to me
this looks like cowardice.

All right, I will.

This isn't reformation, this
is war against the Church.

Our King has declared
war on the Pope

because the Pope
will not declare...

- that our Queen is not his wife.
- And is she?

Is she?

Have I your word that what we
say here is between us two?

Very well.

And if the King should command
you to repeat what I may say?

I should keep my word to you.

Then what has become of your
oath of obedience to the King?

You lay traps for me.

No, I show you the times.

We are at war with the Pope. For
the Pope's a prince, isn't he?

He is. He's also the
descendant of St.

Peter, our only link with Christ.

So you believe. And will you
forfeit all you have...

which includes the respect of
your country, for a belief?

Because what matters is that I
believe it, or rather, no...

not that I believe it,
but that I believe it.

- I trust I make myself obscure?
- Perfectly.

Why do you insult me with
this lawyer's chatter?

Because I'm afraid.

Man, you're ill.

This isn't Spain, you
know. This is England.

My friends, you all know
why I've called you here.

I have today resigned my office.

I am no longer a great man.

Sir, we want you to know
that we're all on your side.

My side? What side is that?

Well, sir, we all
know what you think.

None of you knows what I
think. And if you guess...

and babble it about, you
do me no good service.

Since I am no more a great man, I
no longer need a great household.

Nor can I afford one.
You will have to go.

However, I still number some
great men among my friends...

and they still need
great households.

No one will be turned away until
we've found another place for him.

We can't find places for them all.

Yes, we can.

Thank you.

That is all.

What about you, Matthew?

Will you stay?

Well, sir, that's according.

There will be more
work and less money.

Well then, I don't see
how I can then, sir.

After all, I've got my own...

Quite right, Matthew. Why should
you? I shall miss you, Matthew.

Oh, no, sir, you see through
me, sir. I know that.

I shall miss you.

Damn me. Isn't that them all over.

Miss me? What's in
me for him to miss?

"Matthew, will you take a cut in

wages?" No, Sir
Thomas, I will not.

And that's it. And
that's all of it.

All right, so he's down
on his luck, I'm sorry.

I don't mind saying that
I'm sorry, bad luck.

If I had good luck to
spare he could have some.

I wish we could have
good luck all the time.

I wish rainwater was beer. I
wish we had wings. But we don't.

Well, there's an end of you.

What'll you do now?
Sit by the fire...

and make goslings in the ash?

Not at all, Alice.

I expect I'll write a bit...

I'll write...

I'll read, I'll think.

I think I'll learn to fish.

I'll play with my grandchildren
when son Roper's done his duty.

Alice, shall I teach you to read?

No, by God.

Poor, silly man, you think
they'll leave you here to think?

If we govern our
tongues, they will.

I have a word to say
on that. I've made

no statement. I've
resigned, that's all.

The King is made, by
Act of Parliament,

Supreme Head of the
Church in England.

This English Church
will divorce him from

the Queen, then marry
him to Lady Anne.

But on any of these matters, have
you heard me make a statement?

No.

If I'm to lose my rank and fall to

housekeeping, I want
to know the reason.

- So make a statement now.
- No.

Alice, it's a point of
law. Accept it from me...

that in silence is my
safety, under the law.

And my silence must be absolute,
it must extend to you.

In short, you don't trust me.

I'm the Lord Chief Justice, I'm

Cromwell, I'm the
keeper of the Tower.

I take your hand...

I clamp it on the Bible, on
the blessed Cross and I say:

"Woman, has your husband made
a statement on these matters?

"On peril of your soul remember,
what is your answer?"

No.

And so it must remain.

Have you opened your mind to Meg?

Would I tell Meg what
I won't tell you?

Meg has your heart. I
know that well enough.

This is a dangerous matter then...

if you've not told Meg.

I don't think so. No.

When they find I'm silent...

they'll want nothing better
than to leave me silent.

You'll see.

But he's silent, Master Secretary,
why not leave him silent?

Your Grace, not being
a man of letters...

you perhaps don't realise the
extent of his reputation.

This silence of his is
bellowing up and down Europe.

In Europe he is claimed
as the King's enemy.

Rubbish. Crank he may
be, traitor he is not.

Exactly. And with a
little pressure...

With a little pressure
he can be got to say so.

That's all we need. A brief
declaration of his loyalty...

to the present administration.

I still say, let
sleeping dogs lie.

The King does not agree with you.

What kind of pressure do you
think you can bring to bear?

I have evidence that,
Sir Thomas, while

he was a judge, accepted bribes.

What?

Goddammit. He was the only judge

since Cato who didn't
accept bribes.

When was there a chancellor whose
possessions, after three years...

totalled £100 and a gold chain?

It is, as you imply,
common practise...

but a practise may be common
and remain an offence.

This offence could send
a man to the Tower.

Come here.

This woman's name is Averil
Machin. She comes from Leicester.

- She entered a case...
- A property case it was.

Shut your mouth.

A property case in the Court
of Requests in April, 1528.

And got a wicked false judgement.

And got an impeccably correct
judgement from, Sir Thomas.

- No, sir, it was not.
- Tell the gentleman...

about the gift you gave the judge.

I gave him a cup, sir.

A silver Italian cup I bought in
Leicester, for 100 shillings.

Did, Sir Thomas accept this cup?

Yes, sir, he did.

He did accept it. We can
corroborate that. You can go.

- To my way of thinking...
- Go.

- Is that your witness?
- No.

By an odd coincidence
that cup later

came into the hands
of Master Rich here.

How?

- He gave it to me, Your Grace.
- Gave it to you? Why?

A gift.

Yes, you were a
friend, weren't you?

When did Thomas give
you this thing?

I can't exactly remember.

Do you "remember"
what you did with it?

- I sold it.
- Where?

- A shop.
- Has the shop still got it?

No. They've lost all track of it.

How convenient.

You doubt Master Rich's
word, Your Grace?

It had occurred to me.

This is the bill of sale.

That cow put her
case into court in

April, you said.
This is dated May.

In other words, the moment Thomas
knew the cup was a bribe...

he dropped it into
the nearest gutter.

The facts will bear that
interpretation, I suppose.

This is a horse that won't
run, Master Secretary.

Just a trial gallop. We'll
find something better.

- I want no part of it.
- You have no choice.

What's that you say?

The King particularly
wishes you to be

active in this matter
of, Sir Thomas.

He's not told me that.

Indeed? He told me.

Look here, Cromwell...

what's the purpose of all this?

There you have me.

It's a matter of
conscience, I think.

The King wants, Sir Thomas
to bless his marriage.

If, Sir Thomas appeared
at the wedding now,

it might save us all
a lot of trouble.

He won't attend the wedding.

If I were you, I'd try
and persuade him.

I really would try, if I were you.

Cromwell, are you threatening me?

My dear Norfolk, this isn't Spain.

This is England.

Thomas? Thomas.

Lady Margaret?

Yes.

We've been cutting greens.
We use them for fuel.

I have a letter for your father,
Lady Margaret. From Hampton Court.

He's to answer certain charges
before Secretary Cromwell.

Good of you to come, Sir Thomas.

Master Rich will make a
record of our conversation.

Good of you to tell
me, Master Secretary.

I think you know one another.

Indeed yes, we're old friends.

That's a nice gown
you have, Richard.

Sir Thomas, believe me.

No, that's asking too much. But
let me tell you all the same.

You have no more sincere
admirer than myself.

No, not yet, Rich, not yet.

If I might hear the charges.

The charges?

I understand there
are certain charges.

Some ambiguities of
behaviour I should

like to clarify, hardly charges.

Make a note of that, will you,
Master Rich? There are no charges.

Sir Thomas, Sir Thomas.

The King is not pleased with you.

I am grieved.

And yet, do you
know that even now,

if you could bring yourself...

to agree with the
Church, universities,

the Lords and the Commons...

there is no honour
which His Majesty

would be likely to deny you?

I am well acquainted with
His Grace's generosity.

Very well.

You have heard of the so-called
"Holy Maid of Kent"...

who was executed for
prophesying against the King?

- Yes, I met her.
- Yes, you met her.

Yet you did not warn His Majesty
of her treason. How was that?

She spoke no treason. Our
talk was not political.

But the woman was notorious. Do
you expect me to believe that?

- Happily, there were witnesses.
- You wrote a letter to her.

Yes. I wrote, advising
her to abstain

from meddling in the
affairs of state.

I have a copy of the
letter. Also witnessed.

You have been cautious.

I like to keep my affairs regular.

In the June of 1521, the
King published a book.

A theological work.

It was called, A Defence
of the Seven Sacraments.

For which he was
named "Defender of

the Faith" by His
Holiness, the Pope.

By the Bishop of Rome, or
do you insist on "pope"?

No. "Bishop of Rome" if you like.
It doesn't alter his authority.

Thank you. You come
to the point very

readily. What is that authority?

For example, in the
Church of England...

what exactly is the Bishop
of Rome's authority?

You will find it very ably set out
and defended, Master Secretary...

in the King's book.

In the book published under the

King's name, would
be more accurate.

- You wrote this book.
- I wrote no part of it.

I don't mean you
actually held the pen.

I answered to my best ability,
some points of common law...

which the King put to me,
as I was bound to do.

Do you deny you instigated it?

It was from first to last
the King's own project.

The King says not.

The King knows the truth of it.

And whatever he may
have said to you...

he will not give evidence
to support this accusation.

Why not?

Because evidence is given on oath,
and he will not perjure himself.

If you don't know that, then
you don't yet know him.

Sir Thomas More.

Have you anything to say...

regarding the King's
marriage with Queen Anne?

I understood I was not
to be asked that again.

Then you understood
wrongly. These charges...

They are terrors for children,
Master Secretary, not for me.

Then know that the King
commands me to charge you...

in his name, with
great ingratitude.

And to tell you that
there never was, nor

could be, so villainous
a servant...

nor so traitorous a
subject, as yourself.

So...

I am brought here at last.

Brought?

You've brought yourself
to where you stand now.

You may go.

For the present.

What will you do now?

Whatever's necessary.

Boat.

Oh, come, come, it's not
as bad as all that.

Howard.

I can't get home.

They won't bring me a boat.

Do you blame them?

Is it as bad as that?

It's every bit as bad as that.

Then it's good of you
to be seen with me.

I followed you.

Were you followed?

- You're dangerous to know.
- Then don't know me.

- I do know you.
- I mean as a friend.

I am your friend. I wish
I wasn't, but I am.

What's to be done then?

- Give in.
- I can't give in, Howard.

Our friendship's more
mutable than that.

The one fixed point in the
world of turning friendship...

is that, Sir More won't give in.

To me it has to be,
for that's myself.

Affection goes as deep
in me as you, I think.

But only God is
love right through,

Howard, and that's my self.

And who are you?

A lawyer. And a lawyer's son.

We're supposed to
be the proud ones,

the arrogant ones,
we've all given in.

Why must you stand out?

Goddammit man. It's
disproportionate.

You'll break my heart.

No one is safe, Howard,
and you have a son.

We'll end our friendship now.

- For friendship's sake?
- Yes.

Daft.

Norfolk, you're a fool.

You can't place a quarrel,
you haven't the style.

Hear me out. You and
your class have

given in, as you
rightly call it...

because this country's religion
means nothing to you at all.

Well, that's a foolish
saying for a start.

The nobility of England...

The nobility of England would have

snored through the
Sermon on the Mount.

But you'll labour like scholars
over a bulldog's pedigree.

An artificial quarrel
is not a quarrel.

We've had a quarrel
since the day we

met. Our friendship
was mere sloth.

You can be cruel when you want,
but I've always known that.

What do you value in your
bulldogs? Gripping, is it not?

- Yes.
- It's their nature?

- Yes.
- It's why you breed them?

It's so with men.

I will not give in,
because I oppose it.

Not my pride, not
my spleen, nor any

other of my appetites,
but I do, I.

Is there, in the midst
of all this muscle,

no sinew that serves
no appetite...

of Norfolk's, but is
just Norfolk? There is.

Give that some exercise, my lord.

Thomas.

As you stand you'll go before
your Maker ill conditioned.

Now steady.

And he'll think that,
somewhere back along

your pedigree, a bitch
got over the wall.

Cast in this very house
on April 3, last year...

it is a matter very fit for
the Commons, gathered here...

in parliament, to take in hand.

Or, in consequence of
the decay of guilds...

the woollen cloth, now coming
out of Yorkshire, Lincoln...

and the like, is not
to blame and this...

I will defer the rest
of my matter to later.

That the loyal Commons,
here assembled,

will speedily enact
this bill, I doubt not.

For as much as it
concerns the King's new

title and his marriage
to Queen Anne.

Both matters pleasing
to a loyal subject.

Mark, my Masters...

there is among us a brood
of discreet traitors...

to which deceit the King
can brook no longer.

And we, his loyal
huntsmen, must now drive

these subtle foxes
from their covert.

Father?

Margaret.

I couldn't get a boat.

What is it, Meg?

Father, there's a new act
going through parliament.

And by this act, they're going
to administer an oath...

about the marriage.

On what compulsion is the oath?

- High treason.
- But what is the wording?

Do the words matter?
We know what it means.

Tell me the words.

An oath is made of words. It
may be possible to take it.

Take it?

And if it can be taken,
you must take it, too.

No.

Listen, Meg. God made the
angels to show him splendour.

As he made animals for innocence
and plants for their simplicity.

But Man he made to serve him

wittily, in the
tangle of his mind.

If he suffers us to come to such a
case that there is no escaping...

then we may stand to our
tackle as best we can.

And yes, Meg, then
we can clamour like

champions, if we have
the spittle for it.

But it's God's part, not our own,
to bring ourselves to such a pass.

Our natural business
lies in escaping.

If I can take this oath, I will.

I would, for my sake, you
could take the oath.

I never took a man into
the Tower less willingly.

Thank you, Master Governor.

Thank you.

Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

Sir Thomas.

This is iniquitous.

- Where to this time?
- Richmond Palace.

Sit down.

This is the Seventh Commission
to inquire into the case...

of, Sir Thomas More, appointed
by His Majesty's Council.

Have you anything to say?

No.

- Seen this document before?
- Many times.

It is the Act of Succession.

These are the names of those
who have sworn to it.

I have, as you say,
seen it before.

Will you swear to it?

No.

Thomas, we must know...

We must know plainly whether you

recognise the offspring
of Queen Anne...

as heirs to the throne.

The King in parliament
tells me that they are.

- Of course I recognise them.
- Will you swear to it?

Yes.

Then why won't he
swear to the act?

Because there is more
than that in the act.

Just so. Sir Thomas,
it states in the

preamble that the King's
former marriage...

to the Lady Catherine
was unlawful...

she being his brother's
widow and the

Pope having no authority
to sanction it.

Is that what you deny?

Is that what you dispute?

Is that what you are not sure of?

You insult His Majesty
and Council in

the person of the Lord Archbishop.

I insult no one.

I will not take the oath. I will
not tell you why I will not.

Then your reasons
must be treasonable.

Not "must be," may be.

It's a fair assumption.

The law requires more than an

assumption, the law
requires a fact.

Of course, I cannot judge your
legal standing in the case...

but until I know the ground
of your objections...

I can only guess your
spiritual standing, too.

If you're willing to
guess that, it should

be small matter to
guess my objections.

Then you do have
objections to the act?

Well, we know that, Cromwell.

No, my lord, you don't.

You may suppose I have
objections, all you

know is that I will
not swear to it...

for which you cannot
lawfully harm me further.

But if you were right
in supposing me

to have objections,
and right again...

in supposing my objections
to be treasonable...

the law would let you
cut my head off.

Oh, yes.

Well done, Sir Thomas.

I've been trying to make that
clear to His Grace for some time.

Oh, confound all this.
I'm not a scholar.

I don't know if the marriage
was lawful or not...

but damn it, Thomas,
look at these names.

Why can't you do as I did, and
come with us, for fellowship?

And when we die, and
you are sent to

heaven for doing
your conscience...

and I am sent to hell
for not doing mine,

will you come with
me, for fellowship?

So, those of us whose names are
there, are damned, Sir Thomas?

I have no window to look into
another man's conscience.

I condemn no one.

Then the matter is
capable of question?

Certainly.

But that you owe obedience to the
King is not capable of question.

So weigh a doubt against
a certainty and sign.

Some men think the earth is
round, others think it flat.

It is a matter
capable of question.

But if it is flat, will the
King's command make it round?

And if it is round, will the
King's command flatten it?

No, I will not sign.

Then you have more regard for your
own doubt than the King's command?

- For myself I have no doubt.
- No doubt of what?

No doubt that I will
not take this oath.

But why I will not, you, Master

Secretary, will not
trick out of me.

I might get it out of
you in other ways.

You threaten like
a dockside bully.

How should I threaten?

Like a minister of
state, with justice.

Justice is what you're
threatened with.

Then I am not threatened.

Gentlemen, can't I go to bed?

Aye. The prisoner may
retire as he requests.

Unless you...

I see no purpose in
prolonging this.

Then, goodnight, Thomas.

May I have one or two more books?

Why, you have books?

Yes.

I didn't know, you shouldn't have.

May I see my family?

No.

Captain.

Master Secretary?

Have you ever heard
the prisoner speak

of the King's
divorce, supremacy...

- or the King's marriage?
- No, not a word.

If he does, you will
repeat it to me.

Of course.

Rich.

Secretary?

Tomorrow morning, remove
the prisoner's books.

Is that necessary?

With regards to this case, the
King is becoming impatient.

- Aye, with you.
- With all of us.

The King's impatience will
embrace a duke or two.

Master Secretary.

Sir Redvers Llewellyn has retired.

The Attorney General for Wales.

His post is vacant.

You said that I
might approach you.

Not now, Rich.

He must submit. He must.

Rack him.

No. The King's conscience
will not permit it.

We have to find some other way.

Sir Thomas.

Father.

What? Margaret?

Father.

Meg. For God's sake, they
haven't put you in here?

- No, sir, a visit.
- A brief one, Sir Thomas.

Father.

- Good morning, husband.
- Good morning.

Good morning, Will.

Well, this is a hellish place.

Except it's keeping me from
you, my dears, it isn't so bad.

It's remarkably like
any other place.

- It drips.
- Yes. It's too near the river.

Well, what is it?

Father, come out. Swear
to the act and come out.

Is this why they've let you come?

Yes.

Meg's under oath to persuade you.

That was silly, Meg.

How do you plan to do that?

Father.

"God more regards
the thoughts of the

heart than the words
of the mouth."

- Well, so you've always told me.
- Yes.

Then say the words of the oath and
in your heart think otherwise.

What is an oath then, but
words we say to God?

Listen, Meg.

When a man takes an
oath, he's holding

his own self in his own hands...

like water.

And if he opens his
fingers then, he

needn't hope to
find himself again.

Some men aren't capable
of this, but I'd be

loathed to think your
father one of them.

- I have another argument.
- Oh, Meg.

In any state that
was half good, you

would be raised up
high, not here...

- for what you've done already.
- All right.

It's not your fault the
state's three-quarters bad.

No.

If you elect to suffer for
it, you elect to be a hero.

That's very neat.

But look now. If we
lived in a state

where virtue was profitable...

common sense would
make us saintly.

But since we see that avarice,
anger, pride and stupidity...

commonly profit far
beyond charity,

modesty, justice and thought...

perhaps we must stand
fast a little...

even at the risk of being heroes.

But in reason.

Haven't you done as much as
God can reasonably want?

Well, finally it isn't
a matter of reason.

Finally, it's a matter of love.

You're content then to be shut
up here with mice and rats...

- when you might be home with us?
- Content?

If they'd open a crack
that wide, I'd be

through it like a bird
and back to Chelsea.

I haven't told you what the
house is like without you.

Don't, Meg.

What we do in the
evening without you.

Meg, have done.

We don't read because
we've no candles.

We don't talk because we wonder
what they're doing to you.

The King is more merciful.
He doesn't use the rack.

Two minutes to go, sir.

- I thought you'd like to know.
- Two minutes.

- Jailer.
- Sorry, sir. Two minutes.

Listen, you must
leave the country.

All of you must leave the country.

- And leave you?
- It makes no difference.

They won't let me see you again.

You must all go on the same
day, but not on the same boat.

Different boats from
different ports.

After the trial, then.

There'll be no trial,
they have no case.

Do this for me, I beseech you.

- Will?
- Yes, sir.

- Margaret?
- Yes.

Alice?

- Alice, I command you.
- Right.

This is splendid.

- I know who packed this.
- I packed it.

Yes.

You still make a superlative
custard, Alice.

Do I?

That's a nice dress you have on.

Nice colour anyway.

My God, you think little of me.

I know I'm a fool...

but I'm not such a fool as to
be lamenting for my dresses...

or to relish complimenting
on my custards.

I'm well rebuked.

- Alice...
- No.

I'm sick with fear when I think
of the worst they may do to me.

But worse than that will be to go

with you not
understanding why I go.

I don't.

If you can tell me
that you understand, I

might make a good
death, if I have to.

Your death's no good to me.

You must tell me
that you understand.

I don't.

I don't believe
this had to happen.

If you say that I don't
see how I'm to face it.

It's the truth.

- You're an honest woman.
- Much good may it do me.

I'll tell you what
I'm afraid of...

that when you've gone, I
shall hate you for it.

You mustn't, Alice.

You mustn't.

As for understanding,
I understand you're

the best man I ever met
or ever likely to.

And if you go, God knows why I

suppose, though as
God's my witness...

God's kept deadly quiet about it.

And if any one wants
to know my opinion

of the King and his Council...

he only has to ask for it.

Why, it's a lion I married.

A lion. A lion.

This is good.

It's very good.

Sorry, Sir Thomas.

- Oh, for pity's sake.
- Time's up, sir.

But one more minute.

You don't know what you're asking.

- Come along, Miss.
- For heaven's sake.

Now, don't do that, sir.

Now, madam, don't make trouble.

Come along, please, Lady Alice.

Take your muddy paws off me.

Filthy, stinking,
gutter-fed, turnkey.

I'll see you suffer for this.

Goodbye.

You must understand
my position, sir.

I'm a plain, simple man and I
just want to keep out of trouble.

Dear Lord Jesus, my soul
Saviour, clear my wits.

Dear Lady, Blessed Mother of God,
comfort my wife and daughter...

and forgive me for them.

Sir Thomas More, though you have

heinously offended the
King's majesty...

we hope that if
you'll even now fore

think and repent of
obstinate opinion...

you may still taste
his gracious pardon.

My lords, I thank you.

As for the matters you
may charge me with...

I fear from my present weakness,
that neither my wit...

nor my memory will serve...

to make sufficient answer.

I should be glad to sit down.

A chair for the prisoner.

Master Secretary Cromwell,
have you the charge?

- I have, my lord.
- Then read the charge.

"That you did wilfully and
maliciously deny and deprive...

"our liege, Lord Henry, of his
undoubted certain title...

"Supreme Head of the
Church in England."

But, I have never
denied this title.

At Westminster Hall, at Lambeth,
and again at Richmond...

you stubbornly refused the oath.

Was this no denial?

No, this was silence.

And for my silence, I am
punished with imprisonment.

Why have I been called again?

On a charge of high
treason, Sir Thomas.

For which the punishment
is not imprisonment.

Death...

comes for us all, my lords.

Yes, even for kings he comes.

The death of kings is not
in question, Sir Thomas.

Nor mine, I trust, until
I'm proven guilty.

Your life lies in your own
hands, Thomas, as it always has.

Is that so, my lord?

Then I'll keep a good grip on it.

So, Sir Thomas...

you stand on your silence?

I do.

But, gentlemen of the jury...

there are many kinds of silence.

Consider first the silence
of a man when he is dead.

Suppose we go into the room where
he is laid out and we listen.

What do we hear?

Silence.

What does it betoken,
this silence?

Nothing. This is silence
pure and simple.

But let us take another case.

Suppose I were to take a
dagger from my sleeve...

and make to kill the
prisoner with it.

And my lordships there,
instead of crying

out for me to stop,
maintain their silence.

That would betoken.

It would betoken a willingness
that I should do it.

And under the law, they
would be guilty with me.

So silence can, according
to the circumstances...

speak.

Let us consider now
the circumstances

of the prisoner's silence.

The oath was put to
loyal subjects all

over the country who
all declared...

His Grace's title to
be just and good.

But when it came to the
prisoner, he refused.

He calls this "silence."

Yet, is there a man
in this court...

Is there a man in this country...

who does not know, Sir Thomas
More's opinion of this title?

Yet, how can this be?

Because this silence betokened...

nay, this silence was not silence
at all, but most eloquent denial.

Not so.

Not so, Master Secretary.

The maxim of the law is,
"Silence gives consent."

If, therefore, you
wish to construe

what my silence betokened...

you must construe that I
consented, not that I denied.

Is that in fact what the
world construes from it?

Do you pretend that is what you

wish the world to
construe from it?

The world must construe
according to its wits.

This court must construe
according to the law.

My lords, I wish to
call, Sir Richard Rich.

Richard Rich, come into court.

Richard Rich.

"I do swear the evidence I'll give

before the court shall
be the truth...

"the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth."

"So help me God," sir.

"So help me God."

Now Rich, on May 12,
you were at the Tower?

- I was.
- For what purpose?

I was sent to carry away
the prisoner's books.

- Did you talk with the prisoner?
- Yes.

Did you talk of the King's
supremacy of the Church?

Yes.

What did you say?

I said to him, "Supposing there
were an Act of Parliament...

"to say that I, Richard
Rich, were to be king.

"Would not you, Master
More, take me for king?"

"That I would," he said.

"For then you would be king."

Yes?

Then he said, "But I will
put you a higher case.

"How, if there were
an Act of Parliament,

to say that God
should not be God?"

This is true and then you said...

Silence.

Continue.

But then I said, "I will
put you a middle case.

"Parliament has made our
King Head of the Church.

"Why will you not accept him?"

Well?

And then he said, "Parliament
had not the power to do it."

Repeat the prisoner's words.

He said:

"Parliament had not
the competence."

Or words to that effect.

He denied the title.

He did.

In good faith, Rich, I am sorrier
for your perjury than my peril.

- Do you deny this?
- Yes.

You know if I were
a man who heeded

not the taking of an oath...

I need not be here.

Now, I will take an oath.

If what Master Rich
has said is true...

I pray I may never
see God in the face.

Which I would not say, were it
otherwise, for anything on earth.

- That is not evidence.
- Is it probable...

Is it probable that after so
long a silence on this...

the very point so
urgently sought of me...

I should open my mind
to such a man as that?

Sir Richard, do you wish
to modify your testimony?

No, my lord.

Is there anything you wish
to take away from it?

No, my lord.

Have you anything to add?

No, my lord.

- Have you, Sir Thomas?
- To what purpose?

I am a dead man.

You have your will of me.

Then the witness may withdraw.

There is one question I would
like to ask the witness.

That's a chain of office
you're wearing. May I see it?

The Red Dragon.

What's this?

Sir Richard is appointed
Attorney General for Wales.

For Wales.

Why Richard, it
profits a man nothing

to give his soul for
the whole world.

But for Wales.

My lords. I've done.

The jury will retire and
consider the evidence.

Considering the
evidence, it shouldn't

be necessary for them to retire.

Is it necessary?

Then is the prisoner
guilty or not guilty?

Guilty, my lord.

Sir Thomas More, you have been
found guilty of high treason.

- The sentence of the court...
- My lords.

When I was practising the law, the
manner was to ask the prisoner...

before pronouncing sentence,
if he had anything to say.

Have you anything to say?

Yes.

Since the court has
determined to condemn me...

God knoweth how...

I will now discharge my mind...

concerning the indictment
and the King's title.

The indictment is grounded
in an Act of Parliament...

which is directly repugnant...

to the law of God and
His Holy Church.

The supreme government of which
no temper able person...

may by any law presume
to take upon him.

This was granted...

by the mouth...

of our Saviour, Christ Himself...

to St. Peter and the bishops
of Rome whilst He lived...

and was personally present...

here on earth.

It is therefore
insufficient in law...

to charge any
Christian to obey it.

And more than this...

the immunity of the Church is
promised both in Magna Carta...

and in the King's own
coronation oath.

Now, we plainly see
you are malicious.

Not so.

I am the King's true subject...

and I pray for him
and all the realm.

I do none harm.

I say none harm.

I think none harm.

And if this be not enough
to keep a man alive...

then in good faith,
I long not to live.

Nevertheless...

it is not for the supremacy that
you have sought my blood...

but because I would not
bend to the marriage.

You have been found
guilty of high treason.

The sentence of the court
is that you be taken...

to the Tower of London...

until the day hence
to the appointment...

for your execution.

I am commanded by the
King to be brief...

and since I am the King's
obedient subject...

brief I will be.

I die His Majesty's
good servant...

but God's first.

I forgive you, right readily.

Be not afraid of your office.

You send me to God.

You're very sure of
that, Sir Thomas?

He will not refuse one who
is so blithe to go to him.

Thomas More's head was stuck
on Traitor's Gate for a month.

Then his daughter,
Margaret, removed

it and kept it until her death.

Cromwell was beheaded for high
treason five years after More.

The Archbishop was
burned at the stake.

The Duke of Norfolk should have
been executed for high treason...

but the King died of
syphilis the night before.

Richard Rich became
Chancellor of England...

and died in his bed.