"May the omnipotent God have mercy upon you, and forgive you your sins and may Jesus Christ lead you to eternal life." "Amen." "To the faithful people of England your Holy Father offers you the hand of condolence, his tears of grief and his anger at the martyrdom of Sir Thomas More and Cardinal Fisher." "Stay back." "Stay back." "Their murder has shock ed the whole of Christendom." "It was an unpardonable sin against God and our Holy Church in whose name these two great and noble men died." "We pray for those in England who must continue to live under tyranny and in fear for their lives and for their souls." "We pray the king ceases to listen to evil counsel and returns to obedience and the true faith before it is too late." "Attack the pope." "We pray to Mary, Mother of God that England may be redeemed from heresy and all its evil ways and from the clutches of the heretics who even now are leading her towards destruction and damnation." "George Boleyn, Lord Rochford, is to marry Lord Morley's daughter." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Lord Morley came to see me." "He cannot meet Sir Thomas Boleyn's demand for a dowry of £300." "I assured him that I would make up the shortfall." "Your Majesty is most generous." "How is your survey of the religious houses progressing?" "Majesty, the commissioners are currently examining houses in the West Country." "There and elsewhere, they tell me they have uncovered many enormities." "What enormities?" "They have found the monks in many places so depraved so licentious and so corrupt, that your commissioners already despair of any perfect reformation." "For example, the case of the celebrated Holy Blood of Hailes." "Supposedly the blood of a saint used for healing the pilgrims who flock there hoping for a miracle it turns out to be the blood of a duck, which the monks renew regularly." "Duck's blood." "Well, Mr. Cromwell, what do you propose we do about it?" "If Your Majesty will forgive me, I think we should be looking for ways to promote Your Majesty's new monarchy." "What do you have in mind?" "One way would be through the production of plays." "Why plays?" "Plays are an ideal way of setting forth the abomination and wickedness of the bishop of Rome." "They also are means to demonstrate to people the obedience that as subjects they owe, by God's and man's laws to Your Majesty." "Good." "Then I leave it to you, Mr. Secretary to finance and produce some plays." "We must do all we can to advance our revolution." "I shall now suffer death in and for the faith  of the Holy Catholic Church." "My Lord." "Mr." "Secretary." "Your Grace." "Since Your Lordship makes no secret of your zeal for reform we were anxious to let you know of our progress." "His Grace has just informed me of an important new appointment..." "...at Canterbury Cathedral." "indeed." "Dr. Simon Heyes has been made our new dean." "Dr. Heyes detests the cult of images and is determined to remove them from the cathedral as well as introducing the new learning." "It is vital that we place reformers in positions of responsibility inside the church." "There's bound to be a reaction to the self-serving martyrdoms of Fisher and More." "Which is why I'm letting it be known that if anyone hears a friend or a neighbour criticising the king or his marriage or the reforms they have a duty to report it." "At the same time, Mr. Cromwell, we have a duty to spread the good news." "If the new monarchy is about anything at all, it is about liberty." "Liberty from old superstitions, from fear and guilt." "We" " We are moving, my friends, from the darkness into the light." "I'm in agreement with Your Grace." "Fortunately, we have a new weapon to promote our ideas." "Oh, my Lord." "What in God's name is that?" "It's called a printing press, My Lord." "Beautiful." "And it will change the world." "What are you thinking of?" "Nothing." "May I say something?" "You know there are many people abroad and perhaps even some within this kingdom who still question the legitimacy of our daughter." "It's true." "You know it's true." "But there is something we can do to change everything." "If Elizabeth was betrothed to King Francis' youngest son, the duke of Angoulême then her legitimacy and station would no longer be questioned by anyone." "I agree." "And have already thought about it." "I will speak to the French ambassador." "Will you come to my bed tonight?" "Dear Thomas." "Majesty." "Come stay at court." "I need you." "I'm not going to sign it." "You want the world to know the king is changeable?" "whether it is better for a king to be feared..." "l don't want to be chancellor." "...or loved." "You will do as I command." "Harry." "Harry." "I come to offer my resignation." "The time for Harry is over." "I discharge you." "Most willingly." "your head cut off, your body to be divided in four parts." "Please forgive me." "Harry." "Thomas?" "Thomas." "And you're doing well, yes?" "Yes." "What is it?" "I've changed my mind." "I don't want to go through with it." "Here, now, sweetheart." "Every woman has a moment of faintheartedness." "It's natural." "No." "You are marrying into a great family." "You will do it whether you like it or not." "Do you understand?" "Get on with it." "Amen." "Amen." "Brethren we are gathered here today." "Majesty, Sir Henry Norris." "Sir Henry." "Your Majesty." "What can I do for you?" "Well, as Your Majesty may know, I recently became a widower." "And so naturally, I'm looking to wed again." "And my choice has fallen upon one of Her Majesty's ladies." "Who?" "Lady Margaret Sheldon." "You mean Madge." "Yes." "Yes, I believe some people call her that if they are familiar with her." "Have you made your intentions plain to Miss Sheldon, Sir Henry?" "No, Your Majesty. I have merely admired her from a distance." "But I would now like to take things further if Your Majesty can think of no impediment." "No." "None." "You have my permission." "I've known you a long time." "I could not think of a more honest, nor more honourable man." "I am deeply grateful to Your Majesty." "Sir Henry." "Your Majesty." "His Excellency the French ambassador." "Excellency." "Your Majesty wanted to see me?" "I wanted to ask after my brother, the king." "His Majesty is very well." "Except for his hatred of the emperor which is like a disease." "So he still wants our friendship?" "Mon Dieu, he loves you above all the princes in the world." "Then make to him this proposal." "That his son Charles Duke of Angoulême, should be betrothed to our beloved daughter, Elizabeth." "Who is she?" "Jane Parker." "Lord Morley's daughter." "He's a distant cousin of the king's." "Oh, she's a girl." "Was that funny?" "l don't know." "Sweetheart." "You do love me, don't you, George?" "Of course I love you." "I married you, didn't I?" "Oh, I can't wait for tonight." "What is it?" "Nothing, l" "Excuse me, Father." "You're very pretty." "Pretty Jane." "Pretty, pretty." "No." "No." "No, please." "No, please." "Please, no." "No." "No." "Let us go about our other matters." "Now, as much as King John does Holy Church so handle so here I curse him with cross, book, bell and candle." "I will ask God to put him from his eternal light." "I will take him from Christ." "And after the sound of this bell...." "The bell, you buggers." "The bell." "And after the sound of this bell...." "l said, after the sound of this bell both body and soul, I will give him to the devil in hell." "And meanwhile" "This is a fine piece of work, Mr. Secretary." "And educative." "I wonder who wrote it." "Mr. Bale." "He was once a priest of the old faith, but seeing how things went on became a most passionate reformer." "You know, I think our family never did anything better than facilitate and encourage your own rise, Mr. Secretary." "I trust you never forget that we did so." "And all the abbots and bishops will make lots and lots of money." "I love the pope as much as ever may be." "I prithee heartily, tell me why you do so?" "Because I perceive well the pope is a jolly fellow." "A trim fellow." "A rich fellow." "Yes, and a merry fellow." "He's rich in his royalty and angelic in his behold." "l've talked to the French ambassador." "Come here, fellow." "Francis is sending the admiral of France to arrange the marriage." "Thank you." "His name is Treason, Your Majesty." "Let us hear something on behalf of the old church." "Gilded images, all." "ln your necessities...." "Majesties." "The admiral of France is to pay an official visit." "I want you to receive and entertain him on my behalf." "Why him?" "All the more procession...." "ln fasting and" "Surely my father would be a much better choice." "Pestilence and the- l trust Your Grace to carry out my commands." "I am, as ever Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant." "And what is there of Christ in your church, pray tell?" "That was unnecessary." "He hates me." "But he loves me." "And as they're in Latin no man can know." "What is it?" "That woman is a whore." "She treats me worse than I treat my dogs." "But then, your dogs bite back." "If ceremonies and superstitions from us fall then farewell monks and canons, priest, friar, bishop and all." "Your Majesties." "How is Queen Catherine?" "Alas, she is very unwell." "That the king may continue to reign over her." "She is sinking." "Not only is her household severely reduced but she has been separated from her daughter for the last four years." "That is very cruel." "But her faith is astonishing." "And that his offspring may reign too." "And the Lady Mary?" "lt's up to the" "While the concubine has power..." "..." "I fear for her life." "To the comfort of this nation." "Lady Mary, what in heaven's name are you doing with the Princess Elizabeth?" "She was left alone." "I took care of her." "Give her to me." "You left her alone, you little fool." "Then we sup and think of those who are no longer with us." "To More and to Fisher, those martyred men." "God bless them." "I am told that many who initially supported the king's reforms are now forming a different opinion." "The terrible murder of honest and faithful men has opened many eyes." "I still do not blame the king." "He's been seduced by witchcraft." "I have always believed it." "And now I have proof." "You have proof?" "Yes." "I have befriended a maid of Anne's bedchamber who has told me that the harlot hides a secret." "She's deformed, Chapuys." "An extra fingernail on her left hand which she is at great pains to conceal." "As well, her body?" "It's covered in moles, which is sometimes called the devil's teats, as you know." "Now, this maid swore to me honestly that she had seen these quite plainly on Anne's naked skin." "Even though the lady constantly seeks to cover herself." "My God." "is it so?" "It is the truth." "That is why she must die." "What is it?" "He's having more affairs." "Are you sure?" "Of course I'm sure." "Often I can't find him." "No one will tell me where he is." "He leaves the palace, I know that." "He's gone for hours sometimes." "I think he's got a harem somewhere." "There's a place where he keeps his harem." "Where he keeps his women." "I know it." "Anne." "Something's going to happen to me." "No." "You know there's a prophecy." "Everyone knows it." "The prophecy says a queen of England will be burned." "Don't talk like this." "Nothing's going to happen to you." "I'm unable to give a king a son." "A son." "To be the living image of his father." "It's all right." "Everything's going to be all right." "Please don't cry." "I love you." "I'll look after you, I swear." "Please don't cry." "Sir Thomas." "Mr." "Secretary." "What are all these?" "Denunciations." "It is reported that a canon at Tewkesbury mistakenly or otherwise, offered prayers to Catherine the Queen rather than Anne." "Seven of his congregation reported these words." "What will you do to him?" "Nothing." "He's near 80 years old." "Absent-minded slip of the tongue." "Such an old man." "It's perfectly forgivable." "Some of these others are much more serious." "Have a look at these." "They're tracts praising His Majesty and his new monarchy and the reformation." "They explain why the reformation is necessary." "The liberties and opportunities it will bring even to the king's humblest subjects." "These are very impressive." "You are to be congratulated on your industry, Mr. Secretary." "But does it never concern you that the king has taken to himself an absolute power without any constraint to remake the law?" "is not that which pleases the king the law?" "I was- l was only observing." "l like you, Mr. Wyatt." "I enjoy your company, but you have a reputation." "You gamble." "And you whore." "You sail close to the wind." "God forbid it should ever blow you onto the rocks." "His Excellency Philippe Chabot de Brion Admiral of France." "Your Grace." "Admiral Chabot. lt is my privilege and pleasure to welcome you and your party to my home and to England." "May I present my wife, the duchess." "Madame." "I am delighted to meet you." "And, with your permission, may I present my secretary..." "..." "Monsieur Alfonse Gontier." "Madame." "Your Grace." "And my niece." "Mademoiselle Germaine." "Mademoiselle, you are very pretty." "Madame." "Your Grace." "So tell me, Your Grace, what are we to expect?" "I am to entertain you and your staff." "Then the king invites you to dine." "Very good." "There is one other thing." "I am told that Queen Anne has planned a banquet in your honour." "And a tennis match." "I believe you met Her Majesty once before, in Calais when she accompanied His Majesty before her coronation?" "I may have." "But I have no recollection of any such meeting." "And, alas, I don't play tennis." "Shall we?" "Majesty." "Good morrow, John." "Majesty." "Where are you going?" "Out." "Where?" "Go back inside." "Where are you going?" "I want to know." "It is none of your business. lt is my pleasure you go back inside now." "Majesty." "Majesty." "Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." "Majesty." "Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." "Whore." "Mademoiselle." "I lik e you, Excellency." "You're very clever." "But I don't like the way your emperor treats me." "He seems to think, as far as Catherine is concerned, that I act out of spite." "Or that I'm being malicious." "But I swear it's not true." "I suppose I ought to be content that the world knows the many wrongs that have been done to me." "You don't approve of the changes I'm making in this kingdom." "Cromwell intercepts some of your letters." "We used to call it humanism, Wolsey, More and me." "We were all humanists." "Most people think I've changed, but I haven't." "At heart, I'm still a humanist." "Chapuys." "I promise you that I am going to make such a reformation in this kingdom that I shall be remembered eternally, throughout all Christendom." "I have no doubt whatsoever that Your Majesty's reign will always be remembered." "I had planned a banquet in his honour." "Who?" "The French admiral." "He has been here for two weeks already with the Duke of Suffolk and he has not yet sent me a message of goodwill." "Every other French envoy has always done so." "Neither has he requested an audience with me." "With me, the queen of England." "And when we are discussing the future of my own child." "Your Majesty should rest." "I ought to leave you." "They tell me he has struck up an acquaintance with the imperial ambassador, Chapuys." "is that not extraordinary?" "Tell me, why should he do such a thing?" "Why do you not say anything, Mark?" "Your Majesty must forgive me." "I don't know what to say." "These matters are beyond my competence." "What am I?" "I'm only a dancing master." "And then there's something else." "Someone, some bitch who probably hates me told me the king deliberately invited a lot of beautiful women to court for the admiral's visit." "I mean, can you believe that?" "Your Grace." "Your Majesty." "May I present His Excellency Philippe Chabot de Brion, the Admiral of France." "Majesty." "Welcome to my court." "Allow me to introduce my wife, Queen Anne." "Madame." "Please, let us be seated." "Some wine?" "Of course." "Which domain does it come from?" "is it Bordeaux?" "This is English wine." "English wine?" "We have been making wine in England since the Romans." "As recently as that?" "It's very fruity." "And strong like a gladiator's sweat." "Who is that gentleman?" "My secretary, Monsieur Gontier." "I should like to introduce him to my wife." "Excuse me." "Majesty." "Your Majesty must forgive me for not being able to attend the banquet you arranged." "It was most unfortunate but His Grace, the Duke of Suffolk, and his charming wife have kept me a virtual prisoner in their castle." "I was" " How shall I say?" "imprisoned by affection." "Madam?" "Are you amusing yourself at my expense?" "Forgive me, monsieur." "I couldn't help laughing at the king's proposition of introducing your secretary to me." "For, whilst he was finding him, he met that pretty lady and forgot the whole thing." "Let's talk some business." "What instructions do you have with regard to the betrothal of my daughter Elizabeth to the Duke of Angoulême?" "His Majesty regrets that such a proposition is impossible." "Why impossible?" "Much as he loves Your Majesty, the king cannot agree to betroth his beloved son to a" "To a bride whose legitimacy is not accepted by His Holiness Pope Paul." "By Holy Church itself." "Nor even by the emperor." "However, His Majesty to demonstrate his love, proposes another match." "He would consent to the betrothal of the dauphin to Lady Mary your legitimate daughter." "If you do not agree to the match my master will marry his son to the emperor's daughter leaving your country isolated in Europe." "Excellence, your audience with His Majesty is now over." "I'm sorry." "I have no excuses, Catherine." "I thought those days were behind me." "Perhaps human nature can never change." "I swear to you it will never happen again." "I love you too much." "I have no right to ask you to believe me." "But it's true." "You see?" "You did make me cry after all." "Who was she?" "Who was who?" "That lady you were talking to when you were supposed to be finding Monsieur Gontier." "l don't know." "ls she one of your mistresses?" "How many do you have?" "What are their names?" "Where do you keep them?" "Someone told me your nobles, like Brandon are assisting you in having your affairs." "That's enough." "No." "No, you told me." "You always told me that we should be truthful with each other." "You said it was the definition of love." "Then here's the truth." "You must shut your eyes and endure." "Like your betters have done before you." "How can you say that to me?" "Don't you know I love you a thousand times more than Catherine ever did?" "And don't you know that I can drag you down as quickly as I raised you?" "'Tis lucky you have your bed already, madam." "Because if you did not, I would not give it to you again." "Francis won't accept the betrothal." "Why?" "Why do you think?" "Because the pope and he and the emperor all agree she is a bastard." "And you are not my wife." "Tell me, how's your Catherine?" "She's fine." "In fact, she's with child." "You're a happily married man, Charles. I envy you." "Do you think the planets have any influence over our lives?" "I don't know." "I would often discuss the issue with More." "We would stand on the roof at night and study the heavens." "More had a great knowledge of the stars and how they influence our humours." "I regret now what happened to More." "In some ways, I wish it never happened." "But it wasn't all my fault." "Whenever my resolve weakened whenever I was inclined to save him a certain person would privately urge me on to his destruction." "Who?" "You know who she is, Charles."