A Man for All Seasons Page #12

MARGARET Yes?

His glance falls quizzically. a little embarrassedly on the sickles she holds, MARGARET We’ve been cutting reeds.

She hands them to ROPER and in answer to his continuing uncertainty says straightforwardly: We use them for fuel.

She is effortlessly Lady Margaret, despite her rough warm clothes and peasant vigour. He bows a little, produces the letter Formal. MESSENGER

I have a letter for your father, Lady Margaret. From Hampton Court . She looks at him, fear showing.

He is to answer certain .. charges .. Before Secretary Cromwell CUT

79

81 INT. HAMPTON CRCMWELL’S NEW STUDY

CLOSE SHOT The brutal, clever face of CROMWELL, ready for the fray. CROMWELL

Good of you to come, Sir Thomas. Master Rich will make a record of our conversation. MORE

Good of you to tell me, Master Secretary..

CROMWELL laughs pleasantly, looks at: RICH ready to write. CROMWELL I think you know one another?

MORE:

Indeed yes, we’re old friends. That’s a nice gown you have, Richard. RICH has the grace to look uncomfortable.

CROMWELL:

Believe me Sir Thomas—no that’s asking too much—but let me tell you all the same, you have no more sincere admirer than myself. RICH prepares to write.

Not yet, Rich, not yet.

He invites MORE to join him in laughing at RICH.

MCRE:

If I might hear the charges.

CROMWELL Charges?

MORE:

I understand there are certain charges.

CROMWELL:

Some ambiguities of behaviour I should like

to clarify—hardly ‘charges’.

80

MORE:

Make a note of that, will you Master Rich? There are no charges. CROMWELL laughs admiringly and shakes his head.

CROMWELL Sir Thomas, Sir Thomas ...

His smile fades, sadly, as one reluctantly compelled to broach a painful subject. The King is not pleased with you.

MORE I am grieved.

CROMWELL:

Yet do you know that even now, if you could bring yourself to agree with the Church, the Universities, the Lords and the Commons, there is no honour which the King would be likely to deny you? MORE

I am well acquainted with His Grace’s generosity.

CROMWELL:

(disapproves. Sighs again)

Very well. Y ou have heard of the so-called “Holy Maid of Kent”—she who was executed for prophesying against the King? MORE Oh yes; I met her.

CROMWELL:

Just so, you met her. Yet you did not warn His Majesty of her treason. How was that? MORE

She spoke no treason. Our talk was not political.

CROMWELL:

My dear More, the woman was notorious. Do you expect me to believe that? 81

MORE:

Happily there were witnesses.

CROMWELL consults paper.

CROMWELL You wrote a letter to her.

MORE:

Yes, I wrote advising her to abstain from meddling in affairs of State. I have a copy of this letter—also witnessed. ò CROMWELL You have been cautious.

MORE:

I like to keep my affairs regular.

CROMWELL puts down paper, picks up a small book. He opens it, glancing at the fly: CROMWELL

Sir Thomas, in the May of 1526 the King

published a book

(permits himself superior

smile of an intellectual for

the work of an amateur)

a theological work. It was called “A Defence of

the Seven Sacraments.”

MORE:

Yes. For which he was named “Defender of the Faith” by His Holiness the Pope. CROMWELL

- By the Bishop of Rome. Or do you insist on “Pope”?

MORE:

No. “Bishop of Rome” if you like. It doesn’t alter his authority. CROMWELL looks surprised, amused, pleased.

CROMWELL:

Thank you. You come to the point very readily; what is that authority? As regards the Church in England, for example, what exactly is the Bishop of Rome’s authority? 82

eft TWO SHOT MORE and CROMWELL A tense confrontation. Then: MORE

You will find it very ably set out and defended, Master Secretary, in the King’s Book. CROMWELL drops the book, saying:

CROMWELL:

The Book published under the King’s name would be more accurate. You wrote that book. MORE

- I wrote no part of it.

CROMWELL:

- I do not mean you actually held the pen.

MORE:

- I answered to my best ability some points of common law which the King put to me. As I was bound to do. CROMWELL

- Do you deny that you instigated it?

MORE:

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

CROMWELL:

- The King says not..

MORE thinks this out. Then:

MORE:

The King knows the truth of it. And whatever he may have said to you, he will not give evidence to support this accusation. CROMWELL Why not?

MORE:

Because evidence is given on oath, and he will not perjure himself. If you don’t know that, you don’t yet know him. 83

OP” THREE SHOT RICH again.

MORE smiles at CROMWELL, proud of the ICING. CROMWELL glowers. He goes apart. Formal. CROMWELL

Sir Thomas More, is there anything you wish to say to me concerning the King’s marriage With Lady Anne? MORE

I understood I was not to be asked that again.

CROMWELL:

Evidently you understood wrongly. These charges—

MORE:

They are terrors for children, Master

Secretary, not for me!

CROMWELL:

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 ! MORE

So I am brought here at last.

CROMWELL:

(contemptuous)

Brought? You brought yourself to where you stand now.

He flings himself into his seat. You may go home.

MORE rises, goes.

CLOSE SHOT, CROMWELL adds: For the present.

MORE checks at the door, and goes.

84

Instantly, CROMWELL’s immobility deserts him. He takes a heavy paper from the table, rising, saying: CROMWELL Right.

RICH is at his back, prepared, throws a heavy cloak over CROMWELL’s shoulders. CROMWELL going. CUT

82 EXT. HAMPTON RIVER-STEPS NIGHT

Heavy rain. MORE, his garments wet, stands on the bank and calls: MORE Boat:

His POV, the flickering torches of the “cab-rank”. Boat ...? CLOSE SHOT The BOATMAN huddled under a sack. MORE’s voice comes distantly, He looks out. The voice comes again, Other BOATMEN look out from under their shelter. They look at one another. BOATMAN seizes his torch, plunges it in the river, pulls sack over his head again. MORE as before. With him we see the torches extinguished. MORE is worried. He says, without much conviction to himself: MORE

Oh come along .. It’s not as bad as that:

His head turns sharply.

A shadowy figure, walking close to the wall, approaches. It is NORFOLK. MORE is pleased.

MORE:

Howard .. ,

(comic indignation)

I can’t get home. They won’t bring me a boat.

85

NORFOLK:
serious and aggressive.

NORFOLK:
D’you blame them:

MORE Is it as bad as that?

NORFOLK:
It’s every bit as bad as that:

MORE:

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

NORFOLK:
looks uneasily back along the towpath, saying:

NORFOLK:
I followed you.

MORE follows his glance, seeing:

The rain-wet, puddled towpath. Some distance away, a rowing’boat upended, leaning against the wall. MORE (incredulous)

Were you followed?

NORFOLK:
looks about him, picks up a big stone, hurls it:

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